The effect of some watershed,soil characteristics and morphometric factors on the relationship between the gully volume and length in Fars Province,Iran

A survey consisting of 146 first order gullies selected from five sites with different land use, soil and watershed properties was carried out to estimate the parameters of the empirical power function in order to describe the relationship between the gully volume and length in Fars province, Iran. Subsequently, the gullies were clustered into seven groups (“A” to “G”) based on nine morphometric factors. The linearized functions were fitted to the natural logarithms of the volume and length in each group and the parameters “a” and “b” were determined. The obtained “a” and “b” parameters are in the ranges of 1.0–10.8 and 0.8–1.4, respectively. Comparison of “a” and “b” parameters in each group with the mean of nine factors and the mean soil, watershed and land use characteristics in each group showed that the gully volume and average cross section are correlated with the gully depths in different sections and the gully head slopes. Also it was shown that the parameters of fitted functions to the plots of gully volumes versus gully lengths are proportional to width at the gully heads. The gully widths at the top and bottom of the five meter sections are correlated with the average upstream watershed area of the gullies.     

Discrimination of three fungal diseases of potato tubers based on volatile metabolic profiles developed using GC/MS

Summary Volatiles from the headspace of Russet Burbank potato tubers, non-wounded non-inoculated (N-control), wounded-inoculated-with sterile water (W-control), wounded-inoculated withPhytophthora infestans, Pythium ultimum orBotrytis cinerea, respectively, were sampled at 3 and 6 days after inoculation (dai), using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).Botrytis inoculated tubers produced two specific volatiles: 2-2-propenyl-l,3-dioxolane and 3, 5-heptadiyn-2-one, while thePythium inoculated tubers produced three: 2-methyl-l-butanol, 2-butanone and 2-methyl-2-butanamine. Similarly, ethoxy-ethene was specific forPhytophthora inoculated tubers. 5-l-methylethylidene-l,3-cyclopentadiene was specific to W-control tubers. Discriminant analysis models based on metabolic fingerprints of metabolites or of mass ions correctly classified 80 to 100% of the observations into respective inoculations/diseases. However, a test-validation correctly classified only 44, 50, 44, 50 and 44% of the fingerprints based on consistent metabolites and 44, 63, 38, 75 and 31% of fingerprints based on mass ions, intoBotrytis, N-control,Phytophthora, Pythium and W-control, respectively. The disease discriminatory metabolite markers and the discriminant models developed here can be used to differentiate the three diseases of Russet Burbank potato tubers, after further validation under commercial conditions.     

Evaluation of the efficiency of TaqMan duplex real-time PCR assay for non-invasive pre-natal assessment of foetal sex in equine

Accurate diagnosis of foetal sex in pregnant mare is helpful for many breeders, both for private or commercial purposes. In this study, in order to pre-natal foetal sexing in equine, we used TaqMan duplex real-time PCR to detect the specific regions of SRY and TSPY genes on extracted cell-free foetal DNA from maternal blood. Peripheral blood samples from 50 pregnant Arabian mares with singleton foetuses were collected. Cell-free foetal DNA was extracted from maternal plasma, and duplex real-time PCR assays were performed with TaqMan probes and primers. Amplification of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene was used as control of DNA extraction procedure. From the 50 sampled mares, 28 cases had female and 22 mares had male foetuses. The final results for 46 samples were conclusive, and from them, 43 cases were predicted correctly. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the test were 90.48%, 96% and 93.48%, respectively. In conclusion, a TaqMan duplex real-time PCR was set up to pre-natal detection of foetal sex in equine. The method was fast and decreased the false-positive and false-negative results. The technique can be used as a routine procedure in farms by collecting only a blood sample.     

Evaluation of different empirical models to estimate safflower yield loss from redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retruflexus L.) under water stress conditions

To evaluate yield loss models in safflower–redroot pigweed systems, two field experiments were conducted during the 2007 and 2008 growing seasons. The relative yield loss of the crop was recorded in plots laid out in a split-plot design with three irrigation treatments as main plots [100, 75 and 50% FC (field capacity)] and five weed densities (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 m^?2) as subplots in three replicates. Among Cousens, Spitters, and Kropff & Lotz models, Spitters was the best predictor of yield loss and showed the lowest RMSE (0.001–0.002), high Adj-R ² (0.824–0.929), highest precision (0.962–0.981) and accuracy (constant and systematic biases of 0.000–0.103 and 0.863–1.040, respectively), and random residuals plot. The Cousens, and Kropff & Lotz models showed relatively good fit, although they had higher RMSE values, larger constant and systematic biases, and nonrandom residual plots. The reliability of all models was influenced by irrigation treatment, with generally larger constant and systematic biases at 50% irrigation, causing yield loss under/overprediction under 100 and 50% irrigation, respectively. The parameters of the Spitters model correctly explained the biological function of water shortage on yield response; however, the parameters of other models failed to represent a biologically acceptable yield response function, particularly at 50% irrigation.     

Recognition of betaine as an inhibitor of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in activated microglial cells

Background: Neuroinflammation, as a major outcome of microglia activation, is an important factor for progression of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer''s disease and Parkinson''s disease. Microglial cells, as the first-line defense in the central nervous system, act as a source of neurotoxic factors such as nitric oxide (NO), a free radical which is involved in neuronal cell death. The aim of this study was to inhibit production of NO in activated microglial cells in order to decrease neurological damages that threat the central nervous system. Methods: An in vitro model of a newborn rat brain cell culture was used to examine the effect of betaine on the release of NO induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Briefly, primary microglial cells were stimulated by LPS and after 2 minutes, they were treated by different concentrations of betaine. The production of NO was assessed by the Griess assay while cell viability was determined by the MTT assay. Results: Our investigations indicated that LPS-induced NO release was attenuated by betaine, suggesting that this compound might inhibit NO release. The effects of betaine on NO production in activated microglial cells after 24 h were "dose-dependent". It means that microglial cells which were treated with higher concentrations of betaine, released lower amounts of NO. Also our observations showed that betaine compound has no toxic effect on microglial cells. Conclusion: Betaine has an inhibitory effect on NO release in activated microglial cells and may be an effective therapeutic component to control neurological disorders.Key Words: Betaine, Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), Nitric oxide (NO), Microglia     

Epiphytic growth of Xanthomonas arboricola and Xanthomonas citri on non‐host plants

The population dynamics of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap) and X. citri subsp. citri (Xcc) was assessed on over three dozen plant species/genotypes under field and greenhouse conditions. Both Xap and Xcc multiplied on red nightshade, black nightshade, bindweed, Chenopodium, common bean and wheat up to 20 days post‐inoculation (dpi) under greenhouse conditions. A high bacterial growth rate was observed on all (alfalfa, bindweed, Chenopodium, field mustard, millet and prickly lettuce) but one (liquorice) plant species tested under field conditions. Xap successfully proliferated on both lemon and sweet lemon up to 140 dpi, attaining a population density even higher than that of Xcc. The latter showed an increased growth rate on GxN, GF677, Ghisella 6 and Mariana 2624 rootstocks up to 140 dpi. While Xap and Xcc did not grow on pomegranate and common fig, they had a steady population growth on apple and pear plants up to 140 dpi, although the final population sizes were smaller than those observed on lemon and sweet lemon plants. The results suggest that a large number of non‐host plant species could support epiphytic populations of Xap or Xcc, which may have implications for plant disease epidemiology.     

Epiphytic Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens strains isolated from symptomless solanaceous vegetables are pathogenic on leguminous but not on solanaceous plants

In Iran, during 2013–16, 16 Gram‐positive corynebacteria‐like strains were recovered from the epiphytic parts of solanaceous vegetables including eggplant, pepper and tomato. The strains were recovered accidentally as a result of monitoring for other bacterial pathogens in solanaceous fields. The strains were phenotypically different from Clavibacter michiganensis strains. Although none of the strains were pathogenic on their host of isolation or on any other solanaceous plants, 12 out of 16 strains were pathogenic on common bean, cowpea, mung bean and soybean. Colonization by strains was observed on maize, zucchini, faba bean, honeydew melon, rapeseed, sugar beet and sunflower plants under greenhouse conditions. In PCR tests, the primer pair CffFOR2/CffREV4, specific for Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens, enabled the amplification of the appropriately sized fragment in 12 out of 16 strains, and all 12 strains were pathogenic on dry beans. Phylogenetic analysis, using the gyrB and recA genes, showed all 16 bacterial strains clustered within several pathovars of C. flaccumfaciens. A nonpathogenic yellow‐pigmented strain (Xeu15) was clustered with the type strains of C. flaccumfaciens pv. betae and C. flaccumfaciens pv. oortii. Bacteriocin profiling assays revealed no significant differences among the pathogenic and nonpathogenic strains. Host range and population dynamics of four representative strains on 17 plant species showed population build‐up of the strains only on common bean, cowpea, wheat and red nightshade plants. The results provide important insights into the possible role of nonhost plants as reservoirs of plant pathogenic bacteria, which has important implications in plant disease epidemiology and management.     

Monitoring the occurrence of tomato bacterial spot and range of the causal agent Xanthomonas perforans in Iran

A 2‐year comprehensive field survey was conducted across major tomato‐growing areas of Iran. Two hundred and thirty‐four tomato fields and six tomato‐producing greenhouses were surveyed for the potential presence of bacterial spot disease. Five hundred and ninety‐six tomato samples with and without symptoms were analysed. While Xanthomonas spp. were found in association with tomato plants both with and without symptoms from five surveyed counties, the bacterial spot disease was observed only in plants from three of them. Only strains isolated from plants with symptoms induced disease symptoms on tomato, while those isolated from symptomless plants caused symptoms only on cabbage and common bean. None of the isolates caused disease symptoms on pepper and eggplant. Phylogenetic analysis showed that X. perforans is the causal agent of tomato bacterial spot in Iran, although X. campestris and X. axonopodis were also associated with symptomless tomato plants. All X. perforans isolates in this study were sensitive to streptomycin, copper sulphate and copper oxychloride at concentrations of 50 mg L^?1, 200 mg L^?1 and 0.8 g L^?1, respectively. Unlike the type strain of X. perforans, isolates in this study did not produce bacteriocin against other Xanthomonas spp., nor were they detected using the usual species‐specific primer pair Bs‐XpF/Bs‐XpR. This suggests an atypical nature of X. perforans strains in Iran, which leads to the hypothesis that X. perforans strains in Iran may have a separate origin to those causing disease epidemics elsewhere. The aggregated dispersal pattern of the diseased tomato fields signifies the seedborne introduction of the pathogen into the country.