Bacterial composition and N2-fixation of some Egyptian soils cultivated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The composition of the microflora, N₂-fixing bacteria particularly, in different soils cultivated with wheat in Egypt was investigated in some samples collected from the fields after applying the agricultural practices recommended for wheat cultivation and just before sowing. The influence of carbon sources, mineral nitrogen and water regimes on potential dinitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction assay) in soils was investigated. The bacterial population densities including-N₂-fixing organisms were related to a number of environmental factors such as organic matter content. Among diazotrophs, Azotobacter spp. and Azospirillum spp. were encountered in higher densities in comparison with clostridia. Unamended soils showed a lower acetylene-reducing activity (0.5–61.5 nmoles C₂H₄ g^?1 h^?1). Addition of glucose (1% w/w) greatly enhanced such activity being the highest (86.9–2846.5 nmoles C₂H₄ g^?1 h^?1) in the clay soil with the highest organic carbon content (1.42%). Glucose amendment had no significant influence on acetylene reduction in the saline soil. N₂-fixation in barley straw-amended (1%) soils was not much higher than in unamended soils. Concentrations of up to 70 ppm ammonium-nitrogen depressed N₂-fixation in soils that received barley straw. Acetylene reduction in submerged soil increased after addition of cellulose. Non-flooded conditions favoured N₂-fixation in the fertile clay soil amended with sucrose.     

Overwintering ofTrichogramma evanescens Westw. in Egypt (Trichogrammatidae,Hymen.)

Eggs ofA. kuehniella parasitized byT. evanescens were held outdoors in a shadow place during the period from November 20th, up to parasite emergence. Blackness of the parasitized eggs appeared 3 days later.Overwintering lasted for 99 days starting from 24th, November till 2nd of March at an average temperature of 10.1° C. When temperature increased to an average of 16.6° C, the parasitoids continued their development for 5 days till the emergence of adults.Emerged adult parasitoids showed relatively normal bioaspects as those reared in the laboratory.With 2 tables     

The effect of xylazine on basal serum prolactin concentrations in male rats

In this study the effects of the major tranquilizer, xylazine, on serum prolactin level were studied in male rats. The results showed that, unlike all other tranquilizers, xylazine produced significant decrease (P less than 0.05) in serum prolactin levels. Xylazine at doses of 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) induced significant decrease in serum prolactin levels 1 h after its intramuscular injection which remained significantly low for 4 h. The inhibition produced by 5 mg/kg and the 10 mg/kg b.w. doses was observed to be stronger in both magnitude and duration than that produced by the lower dose (2.5 mg/kg). This inhibitory effect of xylazine on prolactin levels may be attributable to its dopaminergic and/or alpha adrenergic antagonist activity. However, this point needs further investigation.     

Production of biofertilizers using baker's yeast effluent and their application to wheat and barley grown in north Sinai deserts

Abstract

Effluent from the baker's yeast industry was experimented on as a culture medium for the growth and biomass production of diazotrophs. The effluent supported good growth of Azotobacter chroococcum, Enterobacter agglomerans and Klebsiella pneuomoniae, Azospirillum brasilense, Bacillus polymyxa and Pseudomonas putida and strongly proposed for biofertilizers production of associative diazotrophs. Slurry preparations containing natural polymers, e.g. Arabic gum (5%), pero-dextrin (20%), starch granules (10%) or gelatine (20%) were impregnated with cells of tested diazotrophs. With storage, entrapped cells of B. polymyxa were viable up to 160 days, while gradual decreases in Azospirillum numbers were recorded. Pero-dextrin, a by-product of the starch industry, was selected as the appropriate biocarrier accommodating diazotroph cells and maintaining prolonged survival rates and nitrogenase activity. Cell cultures of A. brasilense, A. chroococcum, B. polymyxa, E. agglomerans and P. putida were equally mixed and entrapped into pero-dextrin slurry biofertilizer formulation named as “BIOGRAMINA”. Tested diazotrophs successfully survived (ca. 10⁸ cfu ml^?1) in such formulation up to 6 months at both ambient and cold temperatures. The response of wheat and barley to “BIOGRAMINA” in the presence or absence of N fertilizers was evaluated in greenhouse and field trials. Highest total biological yields were recorded for inoculated plants simultaneously supplemented with rational N fertilizer dose.     

Occurrence and characterization of nitrogen-fixing Azospirilla in some soils of Egypt

The occurrence and characterization of N₂-fixing azospirilla in some Egyptian soils has been investigated. Seven soils, representing a wide range in texture and properties were selected from different localities in Egypt. The highest nitrogenase activity reported for soil samples under investigation were related to numbers of N₂-fixing microorganisms (Azotobacter spp., Azospirillum spp., and Clostridium spp.). Seven strains of azospirilla were isolated and purified. Based on morphological characteristics, three types of cell morphology were distinguished. Cultural and physiological characteristics as well as nitrogenase activity of representative isolates in presence of different concentrations of NaCl were determined. According to the physiological properties studied, all isolates were classified as members of Azospirillum brasilense.     

Reisböden aus Kolluvium basaltischen Ursprungs im Hochland von Madagaskar

Paddy soils from basaltic colluvium in the Highland of Madagascar Three soils under lowland rice cultivation, found on the Highland of Madagascar, in the Vakinankaratra region, were investigated, in order to help understanding their ecology and to assess their fertility. The parent material of the three soils consists of basaltic colluvium. According to the FAO-UNESCO (1988), these soils have been classified as Ferralic Cambisol (D2) and Dystric Gleysol (D3 et D4). They are very poor in alkali cations, and rich in aluminium, iron and clay. The clay is mainly composed of gibbsite, kaolinite as well as of little amounts of goethite and quartz. This composition underlines the high degree of intensive soil weathering. The low fertility of the investigated soils is due to very low contents of available P, Ca, Mg, K and N, as well as to the high content of iron and manganese, which are toxic for rice plants under the anaerobic conditions of the soils during flooding. We therefore recommend to add to the soil beside NPK fertilizers, limestone powder in order to obtain a pH-value between 6 and 7. This will lead to an increase of Ca, Mg, and K as well as to a better plant availability of phosphorus and a decrease of the toxic effects of iron and manganese.     

Salicylic acid alleviates growth inhibition and oxidative stress caused by zucchini yellow mosaic virus infection in Cucurbita pepo leaves

The effects of zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) infection and pretreatments with salicylic acid (SA) on biomass accumulation of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo cv. Eskandarani) were investigated. The response of photosynthesis, transpiration and the activities of antioxidant enzymes in leaves was also considered. Significant reductions in growth parameters (i.e. leaf area, biomass and shoot height), photosynthesis and chlorophyll a and b content were detected in ZYMV-infected leaves in comparison to healthy controls. Antioxidant enzyme activities were increased up to 3-fold for peroxidase (POD), 2-fold for ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activities and 1.3-fold for SOD activity by virus infection. ZYMV infection also caused increases in H₂O₂ and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. These results suggest that ZYMV infection causes oxidative stress in pumpkin leaves leading to the development of epidemiological symptoms. Interestingly, spraying pumpkin leaves with SA led to recovery from the undesirable effects of ZYMV infection. Leaves treated with 100 μM SA three days before inoculation had the appearance of healthy leaves. No distinct disease symptoms were observed on the leaves treated with 100 μM SA followed by inoculation with ZYMV. In non-infected plants, SA application increased activities of POD and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and inhibited APX and CAT activities.In contrast, SA treatment followed by ZYMV inoculation stimulated SOD activity and inhibited activities of POD, APX and CAT. In addition, MDA displayed an inverse relation, indicating inhibition of lipid peroxidation in cells under SA treatment. It is suggested that the role of SA in inducing plant defense mechanisms against ZYMV infection might have occurred through the SA-antioxidant system. Such interference might occur through inhibition or activation of some antioxidant enzymes, reduction of lipid peroxidation and induction of H₂O₂ accumulation following SA application.     

Influence of Atrazine and Roundup pesticides on biochemical and molecular aspects of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails

The excessive use of pesticides in agriculture has sparkled the interest of scientists in investigating the harmful effects of these compounds. The present study evaluates the pesticides Atrazine and Roundup (glyphosate) on biochemical and molecular aspects of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. The results showed that LC₁₀ of these two pesticides caused considerable reduction in survival rates and egg production of treated snails. Additionally, Atrazine proved to be more toxic to B. alexandrina snails than Roundup. In treated snails, glucose concentration (GL) in the hemolymph as well as lactate (LT) and free amino acid (FAA) in soft tissues of treated snails increased while glycogen (GN), pyruvate (PV), total protein (TP), nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) levels in snail’s tissues decreased. The activities of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR), succinic dehydrogenase (SDH), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and phosphatases (ACP and ALP) enzymes in homogenate of snail’s tissues were reduced in response to the treatment with the two pesticides while lipid peroxide (LP) and transaminases (GOT and GPT) activity increased (P < 0.001). The changes in the number, position and intensity of DNA bands induced by pesticides may be attributed to the fact that pesticide can induce genotoxicity through DNA damage. It was concluded that the pollution of the aquatic environment by Atrazine and Roundup pesticides, would adversely affect the metabolism of the B. alexandrina snails, and have adverse effects on its reproduction.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus</Emphasis>: a natural endophytic diazotroph of Nile Delta sugarcane capable of establishing an endophytic association with wheat

Gluconacetobacter- like diazotrophs were encountered as dense populations inside the root and stem tissues of sugarcane cultivated in ancient agricultural fields of the Nile Delta. Counts of >10⁵ cells g^-1 were recorded in root and stem samples. The leaves contained a smaller population (<10³ g^-1). The typical dark-orange colonies which developed on LGIP agar plates were purified. Identification was performed with the API microtube systems: API 20E for Enterobacteriaceae and API 20NE for non-Enterobacteriaceae. API profiles of the local isolates were closely related to those of the type culture Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (ATTC 49037). The isolates successfully reduced C₂H₂ and produced appreciable amounts of ethylene in the presence of cane juice. This suggested that the local isolates are closely related to the type strain G. diazotrophicus. Wheat seedlings were inoculated with a number of isolates under gnotobiotic conditions. Both optical and scanning electron microscopy showed that endophytic Gluconacetobacter spp. were present in all the samples tested. They were observed in apparently intact and enlarged epidermal root cells, and also in stem tissues, indicating that the bacterium was able to migrate upward into the shoot tissues. Although Gluconacetobacter inoculation did not stimulate the growth of the cereal plant, the results obtained are particularly interesting because this bacterial species was capable of colonizing the internal tissues of wheat, not considered a natural host until now.