Effect of Rift Valley fever virus on pregnant and non-pregnant local Barki ewes after artificial infection

Studies were conducted into effects of Rift Valley fever virus on oestrous and vaginal cytology in non-pregnant ewes. 6 pregnant and 8 non-pregnant local Barki ewes were subcutaneously inoculated with different doses of virus isolated from Sharkia Province. Observed were irregularities in the oestrous cycle (20-28 days inoculation) and anoestrum. The anoestrum smears included large non-cornified epithelial cells with large well stains centrally located nuclei together with a large number of bacteria. Abortion and retention of placenta occurred in pregnant ewes with prolonged puerperal heat up to 70 days. Inoculation of virus was followed by thermal response. Re-isolation of virus in BHK cells was possible from aborted foetuses and placenta.     

Imposed starvation for in vitro maintenance and high regeneration of elite key lime (Citrus aurantifolia)

Preservation of elite key lime (Citrus aurantifolia) genotypes using efficient micropropagation and regeneration protocols is very important for new breeding programmes. The objective of the present study was to develop an efficient protocol for micropropagation and maintenance of elite genotypes of key lime based on slow growth and starvation strategy. To do this, regenerated shoots were starved, and the growth was compromised via avoiding subcultures for 4, 8, 12 and 24 months. The numbers of responsive explants and adventitious shoots per each explant were evaluated in the presence of benzylaminopurine (BAP). The results showed that the 12- and 24-month starved explants treated with 1 mg/l BAP were able to produce four times more shoots than the control. In addition, the influences of horizontal or vertical layering explants over medium were evaluated. The results indicated that all horizontally layered explants significantly produced 25% adventitious shoots more than vertical explants, most likely owing to more contact with the surface medium. Finally, it could be concluded that application of slow growth, starvation strategy and also horizontally layering of the explants could efficiently enhance micropropagation and maintenance of threatened elite key lime genotypes with a low cost.     

Long-term land-use change effects on phosphorus fractionation in Zrêbar Lake margin soils

The aim of this study was to survey long-term changes in phosphorus (P) fractions in soils in different land uses. Sequential extraction had been used to determine soil P fractionation on the basis of land-use change, i.e. native forest to vineyard and wetland to both alfalfa and wheat at the end of 30 and 20 years, respectively. The highest values of labile-P (L-P) fractions in surface soil layers were observed in the cultivated land. The calcium-bound P was the most affected fraction by land-use change with the lowest amount in the vineyard and the highest amount in the alfalfa land. Conversion of forest to vineyards causes P in the soils to be more vulnerable to transmission; thus, the least amount of total P (T-P) in vineyard may be attributed to the removal of sediment and sediment bond P from runoff in response to land-use changes. Average L-P in alfalfa land was two times more than that in vineyard. Results showed that 44.5% of T-P in native land was stored in surface layer; besides, the portion of the arable surface horizon in T-P sequestration was 33%.     

Monitoring pyrethroid insecticide resistance in major malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies: comparison of molecular tools and conventional susceptibility test

BACKGROUND: Anopheles culicifacies is a main malaria vector in southeastern part of Iran, bordring Afghanistan and Pakistan. So far, resistance to DDT, dieldrin, malathion and partial tolerance to pyrethroids has been reported in An. stephensi, but nothing confirmed on resistance status of An. culicifacies in Iran. METHODS: In current study, along with WHO routine susceptibility test with DDT (4%), dieldrin (0.4%), malathion (5%), permethrin (0.25%), lambadacyhalothrin (0.1%), and deltamethrin 0.025, we cloned and sequenced segment VI of domain II (SII6) in voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) gene of An. culicifacies specimens collected in Sistan and Baluchistan province (Iran). RESULTS: A 221-bp amplified fragment showed 91% and 93% similarity with exon I and exon II of An. gambiae. The size of intron II in An. culicifacies is 62 bp, while in An. gambiae is 57 bp. The major difference within An. culicifacies specimens and also with An. gambiae is in position 29 of exon I, which led to substitution of Leu to His amino acid. CONCLUSION: This data will act as first report on partial sequence of vgsc gene and its polymorphism in An. culicifacies. A Leu to His amino acid substitution detected upstream the formerly known knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation site could be an indication for other possible mutations related to insecticide resistance. However, the result of WHO susceptibility test carried out in Baluchistan of Iran revealed a level of tolerance to DDT and dieldrin, but almost complete susceptibility to pyrethroids in An. culicifacies. We postulate that the molecular diagnostic tool developed for detection and identification of kdr-related mutations in An. culicifacies, could be useful in monitoring insecticide resistance in Iran and neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. A phylogenetic tree also constructed based on the sequence of exon I and II, which readily separated An. culicifacies populations from An. stephensi, An. fluviatilis and An. gambiae.     

Suppression of rice blast,cabbage black leaf spot,and tomato bacterial wilt diseases by Meyerozyma guilliermondii TA-2 and the nature of protection

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of yeast strain TA-2 for controlling rice blast, cabbage black leaf spot, and tomato bacterial wilt diseases. Microscopic and phylogenetic analyses based on rDNA-internal transcribed region (ITS) and rDNA-D1/D2 sequences indicated that yeast strain TA-2 is Meyerozyma guilliermondii. Pretreatment with TA-2 by soil drenching significantly reduced the severity of black leaf spot disease caused by Alternaria brassicicola and leaf blast disease caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Symptom development of tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in both soil drench and needle inoculation tests was significantly reduced in TA-2-pretreated plants under soil drenching. Disease severity and R. solanacearum growth were significantly reduced in tomato plants pretreated with yeast culture, cell suspension, or culture filtrate of TA-2 under soil drenching. TA-2 does not produce antibiotics. The present study indicates that disease suppression is systemic, as the roots were treated with TA-2 and the pathogens were inoculated onto leaves or stems, thereby separating the two spatially. M. guilliermondii TA-2 could become a promising natural antimicrobial agent against rice blast, cabbage black leaf spot, and tomato bacterial wilt diseases and might be useful as an eco-friendly control measure, contributing to sustainable agriculture.     

Effects of urea nitrogen and residual composted municipal waste and sheep manure on the growth and chemical composition of two triticale genotypes

In 2012, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of field soil (C0), residual composted municipal waste (CMW), and residual composted sheep manure (SM) on the growth of triticale in pots previously growing oilseed rape in 2011. To each soil group, one of three levels of urea nitrogen (N) fertilizer was added. Results demonstrated that triticale grown in pots previously containing oilseed rape plants containing SM or CMW with 150 kg urea N ha^?1 had the highest N content. Plants grown in SM with 150 kg N ha^?1 had the greatest seed yield, but yield was not significantly different from plants grown in CMW receiving 150 kg N ha^?1. Triticale plants enriched by either SM or CMW had a higher amount of N, copper, zinc, and manganese compared to the field soil control.