Genotype characterisation of Giardia duodenalis isolates from domestic and farm animals by SSU-rRNA gene sequencing

In order to investigate the genotypes of Giardia duodenalis from domestic and farm animals in Italy, 21 Giardia isolates, 17 from dogs, 1 from cat and 3 from dairy calves, were genetically characterised by SSU-rRNA gene sequencing. Among dogs, 76.5% of isolates showed the dog-specific genotypes (Assemblages C, D and C/D mixed Assemblage) and 23.5% exhibit potential zoonotic genotypes (Assemblage A and A/C mixed Assemblages). The cat isolate belonged to assemblage A, whereas the sequences among the isolates from calves were found to correspond to hoofed-livestock genotype, namely Assemblage E. These findings suggest that infection of humans by zoonotic genotypes from domestic animals could be of low epidemiological significance, although possible. The present study represents the first contribute to the knowledge of G. duodenalis genotypes in domestic and farm animals from Italy.     

Host acceptance behavior of the parasitoid Aphelinus mali and its aphid-host Eriosoma lanigerum on two Rosaceae plant species

The presence of a natural enemy in a habitat refuge is no guarantee of emigration by these into crop fields, when pest population outbreaks occur. Parasitoids from a refuge may not prefer foraging on the pest crop, exhibiting host fidelity, and therefore not constituting a source of natural enemies for improving biological control. An effective refuge must not only be a suitable sink for natural enemies, providing an acceptable host when these are not present in the crop, but it must also be a suitable source of parasitoids that readily accept the aphid-host on the crop. Therefore, crop-originated parasitoids would have to accept pests from the refuge as hosts to lay eggs in, and refuge-originated parasitoids would have to accept and lay eggs in pests from the crop. We here study the host fidelity of populations of Eriosoma lanigerum originating from two host plants (firethorn and apple) through reciprocal transfer experiments. Thereafter, the host fidelity of parasitoids from populations in the two host plants (firethorn and apple) was assessed. Reciprocal transfer experiments of parasitoids did not show an association between apple-originated parasitoids and their preference for any of the aphid hosts. Conversely, parasitoids from firethorn exhibited a higher number of attacks and in less time when aphids from apple were offered, suggesting a preference for apple-originated aphids. If future field work confirms these findings, firethorn could become an important management tool for enhancing biological control of woolly apple aphid in apple orchards, without being a substantial source of aphids.     

Predicting long-term organic carbon dynamics in organically amended soils using the CQESTR model

Purpose  

The CQESTR model is a process-based C model recently developed to simulate soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and uses readily available or easily measurable input parameters. The current version of CQESTR (v. 2.0) has been validated successfully with a number of datasets from agricultural sites in North America but still needs to be tested in other geographic areas and soil types under diverse organic management systems.     

Pseudomonas spp. isolates with high phosphate-mobilizing potential and root colonization properties from agricultural bulk soils under no-till management

Seven phosphate-mobilizing pseudomonads were isolated, identified, and characterized in terms of their biofertilizer potential and root-colonizing properties. Pseudomonas protegens (ex-fluorescens) CHA0 was used for comparative purposes. Four isolates (LF-MB1, LF-P1, LF-P2, and LF-P3) clustered with members of the “Pseudomonas fluorescens complex,” whereas the other three (LF-MB2, LF-V1, and LF-V2) clustered with members of the “Pseudomonas putida/Pseudomonas aeruginosa complex.” Assays in buffered liquid growth medium supplemented with tricalcium phosphate enabled the separation of the isolates into two groups: group A (LF-P1, LF-P2, LF-P3, and LF-V1) solubilized P from 151 up to 182?μg?mL^?1, and group B (LF-MB1, LF-MB2, and LF-V2) solubilized less than 150?μg?P?mL^?1. All isolates displayed acid and alkaline phosphatase activities. With the exception of LF-MB2, all isolates were able to degrade phospholipids from lecithin. Additionally, all isolates exhibited extracellular protease activity, and four isolates produced hydrogen cyanide, two traits that are related to biocontrol of phytopathogens. To study root colonization in non-sterile soil, isolates were doubly tagged with gfp and a tetracycline resistance cassette. After 15?days of competition with the indigenous bacterial flora, all tagged isolates colonized soybean roots at counts ranging from 7.6?×?10⁵ to 1.7?×?10⁷?CFU?g^?1. The results indicate that there are already efficient phosphate-mobilizing pseudomonads adapted to agricultural bulk soils under no-till management in Argentina and thus having excellent potential for use as biofertilizers.     

Betalain Extracts from Beetroot as Food Colorants: Effect of Temperature and UV-Light on Storability

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Beetroot is a good source of natural food colorants given that it contains significant amount of betalain pigments. This study investigates the three-months...     

Dog attachment to man: A comparison between pet and working dogs

Shared activities are known to create a good relationship between dog and man. Therefore, it can be expected that animals working in harness with their handlers, such as search and rescue dogs, show a higher attachment to man.The aim of the current research was to assess whether there are differences between pet and working dogs in the attachment to owners/handlers.Forty dogs were involved, 26 pets and 14 search and rescue dogs (taken home when not working). Their attachment to owners/handlers was analyzed by using a modified version of the Ainsworth Strange Situation Test and a recall test, while owners and handlers filled in a questionnaire and were scored on the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale.Statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between pet and working dogs for behaviors indicating an attachment bond: behavior oriented to door/chair/shoe during the absence of owner/handler (which represents “search of absent person”; U = 132.000, P = 0.156), contact with/proximity to owner/handler (i.e., “contact maintenance effect”; U = 157.000, P = 0.478), whining during owner's/handler's absence (“protest at the separation”; U = 147.000, P = 0.288), and individual play (U = 146.000, P = 0.288) and exploration (U = 138.500, P = 0.215) in presence of owner/handler, representing the “secure base effect.”Despite the lack of statistical differences, the formulated hypothesis may be not completely rejected, as a trend of a higher attachment in search and rescue dogs existed. It can be concluded that in carefully owned dogs, the level of attachment is increased by working as a search and rescue dog, but the difference does not lead to statistically relevant results.     

Molekulargenetische Analyse des ‘Maschanzker’/‘Borsdorfer’‐Sortenkomplexes

‘Maschanzker’ is one of the best-known old apple cultivars in Austria and in the 19th century this variety also played an important role in the fruit production of South Tyrol (Northern Italy). ‘Maschanzker’ is believed to originate from one of the oldest German apple vari­eties ‘Borsdorfer’, which is even considered a synonym. However, since the denomination ‘Maschanzker’ is part of the name of a number of more or less similar types of apple, this study aimed at investigating the synonymy and homonymy as well as the relationships within and between different accessions of ‘Maschanzker’, ‘Borsdorfer’ and ‘Edelborsdorfer’ by employing 14 microsatellite DNA markers. A total of 38 accessions from several collections in Europe were analysed and 14 different genotypes were identified, which were assigned to three groups. Our data suggest a series of parent-offspring connections within the here defined Maschanzker group and the Edelborsdorfer group, while no closer relationship was evident to or among the accessions of the Borsdorfer group. Molecular genetic analyses thus provide fundamental data which can serve as a basis for the pomological revision of the ‘Maschanzker’/‘Borsdorfer’ cultivar complex.