Rate of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus Translocation in the Circulative Transmission Pathway of its Vector, the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci

ABSTRACT Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci, biotype B) were able to transmit Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) 8 h after they were caged with infected tomato plants. The spread of TYLCV during this latent period was followed in organs thought to be involved in the translocation of the virus in B. tabaci. After increasing acquisition access periods (AAPs) on infected tomato plants, the stylets, the head, the midgut, a hemolymph sample, and the salivary glands dissected from individual insects were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) without any treatment; the presence of TYLCV was assessed with virus-specific primers. TYLCV DNA was first detected in the head of B. tabaci after a 10-min AAP. The virus was present in the midgut after 40 min and was first detected in the hemolymph after 90 min. TYLCV was found in the salivary glands 5.5 h after it was first detected in the hemolymph. Subjecting the insect organs to immunocapture-PCR showed that the virus capsid protein was in the insect organs at the same time as the virus genome, suggesting that at least some TYLCV translocates as virions. Although females are more efficient as vectors than males, TYLCV was detected in the salivary glands of males and of females after approximately the same AAP.     

Ethnoveterinary study of medicinal plants in Malakand Valley,District Dir (Lower), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,Pakistan

Background

The Malakand valley of District Dir (Lower) is endowed with a diverse plant wealth. Ethnoveterinary knowledge provides the traditional medicines of livestock that are cheaper than standard treatment and are easily accessible.

Methods

The present study was conducted to document the traditional knowledge of ethnoveterinary practices in Malakand valley, District Dir (Lower). Data was collected from February 2012 to January 2013 by interviewing 120 inhabitants through semi-structured questionnaires. Different questions were asked to collect appropriate data regarding the use of plants for livestock treatment. Direct matrix ranking (DMR) was carried out to find out the use diversity of medicinal plants.

Findings

A total of 28 plants belonging to 23 families were collected and identified for the treatment of livestock in the study area. Majority of the plants were collected from wild (68%) habitat and very few from cultivated sources. The leaves (28%) were identified as the major plant part for herbal preparations. The most frequent ailments of livestocks in the study area were stomach disorders and Charmaikh (local disease name). Various ingredients were used along with ethnoveterinary medicines i.e. sugar, flour, milk etc. The elder people of the village had a rich knowledge as compared to the young generation. According to DMR output, Monotheca buxifolia ranked first and Dalbergia sisso and Melia azedarach ranked second due to high multipurpose uses among all species and was found most threatened in the study area.

Conclusion

It has been concluded that the native of the region heavily dependent on medicinal plants for the treatment of variety of livestock ailments. Traditional knowledge always provides a baseline for further phytochemical and pharmacological investigation. The documentation of the ethnoveterinary practices in study area was necessary before this precious knowledge is lost forever due to rapid socioeconomic, environmental and technological changes.