Integrated management of Meloidogyne incognita‐Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri wilt disease complex in chickpea

A field experiment was conducted to study the management of a root‐knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitw. (Tylenchida: Heteroderidae)‐wilt inducing fungi, Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. emend. Snyd & Hans. f. sp. ciceri (Padwick) Snyd. & Hans. (Moniliales: Tuberculariaceae) wilt disease complex in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). cv. Annegiri. The results indicated that integration of soil solarization (for 6 weeks), VA mycorrhizal fungus (VAM), Glomus fasciculatum inoculation (12g/hill) and seed treatment with carbosulfan (3% w/w) was highly effective in reducing population levels of both pathogens, root‐knotdisease and wilt incidence and in increasing chickpea grain yield significantly. However, seed treatment with carbendazim (0.25% w/w) together with carbosulfan (3% w/w) was not only effective in reducing the wilt disease complex but also economic with an incremental cost: benefit ratio of 1: 2.4.     

Anti-Inflammatory Concentrate Enriched with Substituted Oligofucans Derived from Brown Seaweed Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kützing and Its Safety Assessment on Wistar Rats

ABSTRACT

Aqueous extract of the seaweed Turbinaria conoides was purified to obtain an oligofucan-enriched seaweed concentrate (OESC). Oligofucans isolated were characterized as two types with (→1)-fucose-(2,3-diSO₃^?)-(1→4)-fucose-(2-SO₃^?)-(1→3)-fucose-(2,3-diSO₃^?)-(1→4)-fucose-(2-SO₃^?, 3-OAc)-(4→) and (→1)-fucose-(3-SO₃^?)-(1→4)-fucose-(2-SO₃^?)-(1→4)-fucose-(3-SO₃^?)-(1→4)-fucose-(2-SO₃^?)-(4→) motifs. A 90-day accelerated shelf-life study (50°C) showed that OESC maintained its antioxidant properties (free radical scavenging, reducing, lipid peroxidation inhibition, and chelating activities) even after 30 days. In vitro COX-2 and 5-LOX inhibitory properties of OESC (67.2 and 95.2%, respectively) showed no significant variation even at the 30th day. OESC significantly mitigated the carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats at 0–2 h (59.7–70.3% inhibition), which were greater compared to the synthetic NSAID aspirin. The safety of OESC has been assessed by acute (14 days) and subchronic (90 days) oral toxicity studies, which showed no toxicity-related significant changes in renal or hepatic function, hematological indices, and serum biochemical parameters in the OESC-treated Wistar rats. No histopathological alterations were observed in the vital organs of rats treated with OESC. LD₅₀ and sub-chronic no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for this concentrate were found to be > 5,000 and 2,000?mg/kg BW, respectively. Hence, oligofucan-enriched seaweed concentrate is safe to consume without any adverse effects in the body.     

Evidence for cross-adaptation between s-triazine herbicides resulting in reduced efficacy under field conditions

BACKGROUND: Enhanced atrazine degradation has been observed in agricultural soils from around the globe. Soils exhibiting enhanced atrazine degradation may be cross-adapted with other s-triazine herbicides, thereby reducing their control of sensitive weed species. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the field persistence of simazine in atrazine-adapted and non-adapted soils, (2) to compare mineralization of ring-labeled (14)C-simazine and (14)C-atrazine between atrazine-adapted and non-adapted soils and (3) to evaluate prickly sida control with simazine in atrazine-adapted and non-adapted soils.RESULTS: Pooled over two pre-emergent (PRE) application dates, simazine field persistence was 1.4-fold lower in atrazine-adapted than in non-adapted soils. For both simazine and atrazine, the mineralization lag phase was 4.3-fold shorter and the mineralization rate constant was 3.5-fold higher in atrazine-adapted than in non-adapted soils. Collectively, the persistence and mineralization data confirm cross-adaptation between these s-triazine herbicides. In non-adapted soils, simazine PRE at the 15 March and 17 April planting dates reduced prickly sida density at least 5.4-fold compared with the no simazine PRE treatment. Conversely, in atrazine-adapted soils, prickly sida densities were not statistically different between simazine PRE and no simazine PRE at either planting date, thereby indicating reduced simazine efficacy in atrazine-adapted soils.CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate the potential for cross-adaptation among s-triazine herbicides and the subsequent reduction in the control of otherwise sensitive weed species. Copyright (c) 2008 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Bromoxynil degradation in a Mississippi silt loam soil

BACKGROUND: The objectives of these laboratory experiments were: (1) to assess bromoxynil sorption, mineralization, bound residue formation and extractable residue persistence in a Dundee silt loam collected from 0–2 cm and 2–10 cm depths under continuous conventional tillage and no‐tillage; (2) to assess the effects of autoclaving on bromoxynil mineralization and bound residue formation; (3) to determine the partitioning of non‐extractable residues; and (4) to ascertain the effects of bromoxynil concentration on extractable and bound residues and metabolite formation. RESULTS: Bromoxynil K_d values ranged from 0.7 to 1.4 L kg^?1 and were positively correlated with soil organic carbon. Cumulative mineralization (38.5% ± 1.5), bound residue formation (46.5% ± 0.5) and persistence of extractable residues (T_1/2 < 1 day) in non‐autoclaved soils were independent of tillage and depth. Autoclaving decreased mineralization and bound residue formation 257‐fold and 6.0‐fold respectively. Bromoxynil persistence in soil was rate independent (T_1/2 < 1 day), and the majority of non‐extractable residues (87%) were associated with the humic acid fraction of soil organic matter. CONCLUSIONS: Irrespective of tillage or depth, bromoxynil half‐life in native soil is less than 1 day owing to rapid incorporation of the herbicide into non‐extractable residues. Bound residue formation is governed principally by biochemical metabolite formation and primarily associated with soil humic acids that are moderately bioavailable for mineralization. These data indicate that the risk of off‐site transport of bromoxynil residues is low owing to rapid incorporation into non‐extractable residues. Published 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd     

Association of Pedilanthus leaf curl virus with yellow mottling and leaf curl symptoms in two jasmine species grown in India

Association of Pedilanthus leaf curl virus (PeLCV) with yellow mottling of crape jasmine (Tabernaemontana coronaria) and leaf curl of night blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum) was investigated using a sequence analysis of the cloned full-length genome amplified by Rolling circle amplification using Φ-29 DNA polymerase. In the sequence analysis, virus isolates from T. coronaria (JN807764) and C. nocturnum (JQ012790) shared 95 % sequence identity with each other and the highest identity (93 %) and the closest phylogenetic relationships with PeLCV (AM712436); therefore, the virus isolates were identified as PeLCV strains. This report from India is the first on the occurrence of PeLCV on T. coronaria and C. nocturnum anywhere in the world.     

印度东北地区一种极频危和特有树种(Ilex khasiana Pork.)再生生态学及种群现状

在5个典型自然种群Mylliem(种群1)、Upper Shillong(种群2)、Shillong Peak(种群3)、Laitkor(种群4)和Nongpiyur(种群5)中,详细研究了冬青树(Ilex khasiana)种群结构和再生生态学,旨在探究种群结构和再生能力的影响因素.在全光照(100%),中等光照(50%)和低光照(30%)三种光强度条件下,实验观察表明:在中等和低光照条件下的种苗成活率和生长状态好于在高光照条件下的种苗成活率和生长状态.成年树种群(≥5cm dbh)的密度直径分布揭示了一种再生种群的典型特征.对植被的破坏和人类其他干扰导致森林树冠疏开使光照增强,造成自然种群(L khasiana)幼苗的高死亡率.本研究结果对制定适当的物种保护措施有重要价值.     

Leaf and neck blast resistance reaction in tropical rice lines under green house condition

Rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae) is the most destructive and epidemic disease of rice. Use of host resistance is the best alternative for disease management. The leaf and neck blast resistance of 182 rice breeding lines were assessed for leaf and neck blast and classified relative to a susceptible check-Masuli and resistant check-Laxmi, from greenhouse experiment in 2005 and 2006. The test plants were inoculated with 10⁵ conidial suspension/ml of M. oryzae at 21 days old seedlings for the leaf blast, and at neck base for the neck blast. Among them, for leaf blast, 77 rice lines were resistant, 43 were moderately resistant, 39 were moderately susceptible and 23 were susceptible. While among the selected 31 rice lines evaluated for neck blast, 4 lines were resistant, 4 were moderately resistant, 16 were moderately susceptible and 7 were susceptible. Leaf and neck infection was significant and positively correlated (r = 0.30, P = 0.05). The rice lines, Barkhe 1032, Barkhe 1034, Barkhe 1035, Barkhe 1036, Barkhe 2014, Barkhe 2024, Barkhe 3019, Super 3004 were resistant to leaf blast and Barkhe 1006, Barkhe 1032, Barkhe 1035, Barkhe 3004 were resistant to neck blast. The rice lines with identification # 11, 69, 137, 168, 182 from Masuli × MT4 parentage, and Barkhe 3017 were susceptible to both leaf and neck blast. Progenies of Irradiated Pusa Basmati (IPB), Kalinga III/IR64 (KIII/IR64), and Masuli/IR64 were resistant to both leaf and neck blast. However, most progenies from Masuli/MT4 showed susceptible reaction to both leaf and neck blast. Thus, rice lines form the IPB, KIII/IR64 and Masuli/IR64 will be promising resistant sources for rice blast in breeding programme.     

Reactions of hard red spring wheat to common root rot under field conditions of Northern United States of America

Common root rot (CRR), primarily caused by Cochliobolus sativus, is one of the important soil borne diseases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L). To gain information about resistance of hard red spring wheat (HRSW) to the disease, forty HRSW cultivars and advanced breeding lines were grown and evaluated in a completely randomized block design for reaction to CRR from 2000 to 2002 in a field plot with high natural inoculum of C. sativus at Williston, ND. Plant root samples during the soft to mid-dough stage were collected and CRR incidences and severities were scored using the subcrown internode index method. Disease severities (DS) varied from 24–61% in 2000 and 2002, but were relatively low in 2001 (19–40%). None of the wheat cultivars was immune to CRR. The genotypes Canon, Forge, Dandy, Ember, Butte 86, Oxen, AC Barrie, Parshall, and 2371 had higher DS (>45%) and exhibited susceptible disease reactions. However, the genotypes ND 722, AC Cadillac, HJ 98, Argent and Scholar had lower levels of DS throughout the study period, and these were better than, or similar to Amidon, the resistant check. The HRSW cultivars with consistent resistance to CRR during the three year evaluation could be valuable resistance sources for use in breeding programs.     

Variation of pomelo (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) in Nepal and participatory selection of strains for further improvement

A farmers’ participatory survey was carried out in the mid-hill and plain (Terai) regions of Nepal to assess the diversity, consumers’ preference for fruit quality and potential for selection of elite pomelo clones. A wide variation of morphological characters of tree, fruit, leaf and seed was identified from information gathered and from laboratory analysis. Multivariate analysis of the data produced five discrete groups, which were represented by plants from different agro-ecological regions and soil types. The groups differed significantly in yield efficiency, fruit shape and size, pulp, juice, total soluble solids and acid content, seed number, leaf shape and size. Some fruit characters, such as yield, size and acid content were found to be affected by environment and genotype, whereas others, such as fruit shape, pulp colour, seed number, bitterness were not affected by environment. Leaf shape and petiole wing shape were also not affected by the environment. Farmers were more interested in quality characteristics rather than to aspects of yield. Six superior types were identified.     

Efficacy of dietary supplementation of fatty acid compound on performance and production in finishing pigs

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplementation of 0.5 and 1% of fatty acid (FA) compound containing conjugated linoleic...