Two conifer species native to Patagonia threatened by Phytophthora austrocedri

Phytophthora austrocedri is a pathogen of Austrocedrus chilensis causing “Mal del Ciprés” (cypress sickness) in Patagonia and killing Juniperus communis in Britain, along with other species in the Cupressaceae. The evident association of the pathogen with members of the Cupressaceae makes it necessary to study the susceptibility of other species related to A. chilensis to prevent the emergence of new diseases. The present study tested the pathogenicity of P. austrocedri to three native and endemic conifers in South America: Fitzroya cupressoides, Pilgerodendron uviferum and Araucaria araucana. The results showed that F. cupressoides and P. uviferum were highly susceptible to P. austrocedri. Since these are endangered tree species, the outcome of this study is crucial for governmental agencies, policymakers and stakeholders.     

Influence of phosphorus fertilization on the response of pinus genotypes to glyphosate subdoses

New Forests - Previous studies have reported that phosphorus transporters are involved in glyphosate uptake by plants, so phosphorus fertilization might act as an attenuator of glyphosate effects...     

Factors involved in alleviating water stress by partial crop removal in pear trees

We studied the relief of water stress associated with fruit thinning in pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees during drought to determine what mechanisms, other than stomatal adjustment, were involved. Combinations of control irrigation (equal to crop water use less effective rainfall) and deficit irrigation (equal to 20% of control irrigation), fruit load (unthinned and thinned to 40 fruits per tree) and root pruning (pruned and unpruned) treatments were applied to pear (cv. 'Conference') trees during Stage II of fruit development. Daily patterns of midday stem water potential (Psi(stem)) and leaf conductance to water vapor (g(l)) of deficit-irrigated trees differed after fruit thinning. In response to fruit thinning, gl progressively declined with water stress until 30 days after fruit thinning and then leveled off, whereas the effects of decreased fruit load on Psi(stem) peaked 30-40 days after fruit thinning and then tended to decline. Soil water depletion was significantly correlated with fruit load during drought. Our results indicate that stomatal adjustment and the resulting soil water conservation were the factors determining the Psi(stem) response to fruit thinning. However, these factors could not explain differences in daily patterns between g(l) and Psi(stem) after fruit thinning. In all cases, effects of root pruning treatments on Psi(stem) in deficit-irrigated trees were transitory (Psi(stem) recovered from root pruning in less than 30 days), but the recovery of Psi(stem) after root pruning was faster in trees with low fruit loads. This behavior is compatible with the concept that the water balance (reflected by Psi(stem) values) was better in trees with low fruit loads compared with unthinned trees, perhaps because more carbon was available for root growth. Thus, a root growth component is hypothesized as a mechanism to explain the bimodal Psi(stem) response to fruit thinning during drought.     

Aboveground biomass,transpiration and water use efficiency in eucalypt plantation fertilized with KCl,NaCl and phonolite rock powder

Potassium has important physiological functions in eucalypt plantations, increasing their productivity when applied to soil via mineral fertilizers. There is interest in identifying alternative sources to KCl owing to its high cost and limited reserves. The aim of the study was to test the effect of replacing KCl with NaCl and phonolite rock powder. Two comparisons were made: (1) application of 283 kg ha^?1 of KCl compared with that of 2125 kg ha^?1 of phonolite rock powder (equivalent to 170 kg ha^?1 of K₂O in both treatments); (2) application of 139 kg ha^?1 of NaCl compared with that of 183 kg ha^?1 of KCl (equivalent to 2.33 kmol Na and K, respectively). Radial growth, soil water content, leaf water potential (Ψ), accumulated transpiration, stem volume and biomass increment, as well as water use efficiency (WUE) were evaluated. In the first comparison, both fertilizations presented equal values for all characteristics evaluated. In the second, the accumulated transpiration in trees fertilized with KCl was 17% higher than that in plants fertilized with NaCl. In contrast, the WUE was 20% higher in the trees fertilized with NaCl than in those fertilized with KCl, reflecting the lower water consumption for the same increment in stem volume and biomass. We conclude that phonolite rock powder and NaCl are possible substitutes for conventional K fertilization performed with KCl.

     

In vivo bioinsecticidal activity toward Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly) and Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea weevil) and in vitro bioinsecticidal activity toward different orders of insect pests of a trypsin inhibitor purified from tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) seeds

A proteinaceous inhibitor with high activity against trypsin-like serine proteinases was purified from seeds of the tamarind tree (Tamarindus indica) by gel filtration on Shephacryl S-200 followed by a reverse-phase HPLC Vidac C18 TP. The inhibitor, called the tamarind trypsin inhibitor (TTI), showed a Mr of 21.42 kDa by mass spectrometry analysis. TTI was a noncompetitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.7 x 10(-9) M. In vitro bioinsecticidal activity against insect digestive enzymes from different orders showed that TTI had remarkable activity against enzymes from coleopteran, Anthonomus grandis (29.6%), Zabrotes subfasciatus (51.6%), Callosobruchus maculatus (86.7%), Rhyzopertha dominica(88.2%), and lepidopteron, Plodia interpuncptella (26.7%), Alabama argillacea (53.8%), and Spodoptera frugiperda (75.5%). Also, digestive enzymes from Diptera, Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly), were inhibited (52.9%). In vivo bioinsecticidal assays toward C. capitata and C. maculatus larvae were developed. The concentration of TTI (w/w) in the artificial seed necessary to cause 50% mortality (LD50) of larvae was 3.6%, and that to reduce mass larvae by 50.0% (ED50) was 3.2%. Furthermore, the mass C. capitata larvae were affected at 53.2% and produced approximately 34% mortality at a level of 4.0% (w/w) of TTI incorporated in artificial diets.     

Stability of β-carotene in protein-stabilized oil-in-water delivery systems

Inclusion of liposoluble bioactive compounds in fortified foods represents a complex challenge due to the labile nature of such compounds and the instability of oil-in-water emulsion-based delivery systems. In the present study, dispersions prepared with 10% (w/w) sunflower oil (SO) or hydrogenated palm kernel oil (HPKO) containing 0.05% (w/w) β-carotene were stabilized by various concentrations of whey protein isolate (WPI) or sodium caseinate (NaCas) (0.1 to 2.0% w/w) in 30% (w/w) sucrose aqueous solutions. Physicochemical characterization of emulsions was done considering the particle size, the particle surface protein coverage, and the physical state of continuous and dispersed phases. Physical stability of the systems and their protection properties on β-carotene were compared. The lipid carrier type and interfacial structure were investigated as the two key factors which regulate the stability of labile lipophilic bioactive molecules in food model systems. Our results showed high β-carotene stability when O/W systems were stable (protein concentration ≥0.8% w/w.) A (partially) solid lipid carrier (HPKO) enhanced protection compared to the liquid carrier (SO) as the bioactive molecules were entrapped in isolated domains within the solid lattice and kept apart from reactive species in the surroundings. NaCas provided a better barrier than WPI due to the different amino acid composition and interface structure which significantly reduced β-carotene degradation rate.     

Hypertrophic gastropathy associated with gastric sarcoma in a dog

A 14-y-old spayed female Labrador Retriever was presented with an 8-mo history of chronic vomiting. Abdominal ultrasound and gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a mass protruding into the gastric lumen, with cytologic features suggestive of sarcoma. A partial gastrectomy was performed; the gastric body and antrum were thickened, with a cerebriform appearance of the mucosal surface. Histologic examination revealed a submucosal neoplastic proliferation of fusiform cells variably arranged in irregular bundles and scattered whorls. Fusiform cells strongly reacted to antibodies against vimentin, S100, and neuron-specific enolase; glial fibrillary acidic protein was moderately and multifocally expressed. Pancytokeratin, KIT, α–smooth muscle actin, and desmin were nonreactive. Histologic and immunohistochemical findings suggested a diagnosis of gastric sarcoma with features referable to a non-GIST (gastrointestinal stromal tumor), non–smooth muscle NIMT (non-angiogenic, non-lymphogenic intestinal mesenchymal tumor). The overlying gastric mucosa was thickened by elongated and dilated gastric glands, predominantly lined by intensely periodic acid-Schiff–stained mucous cells. This altered mucosal architecture was suggestive of Ménétrier-like disease. Although this disease has been hypothesized to predispose to gastric adenocarcinoma in dogs, an association with gastric sarcoma has not been documented previously in the veterinary literature, to our knowledge.     

Lowered Antioxidant Status of Red Blood Cells in Post-Parturient Haemoglobinuria of Buffaloes

The antioxidant status of the red blood cells of buffaloes (n = 20) suffering from post-parturient haemoglobinuria (PPH) was assessed by comparing their tocopherol (vitamin E) and reduced glutathione contents with those of red blood cells from apparently healthy buffaloes (n = 20). The red cell tocopherol content of the diseased buffaloes (1.76±0.11 g/ml) was significantly (p<0.01) lower than that of healthy buffaloes (2.45±0.14 g/ml). This may be the first report comparing the concentration of tocopherol in the red blood cells of buffaloes suffering from PPH and apparently healthy buffaloes.There was a drastic reduction in the reduced glutathione content in the red cells of haemoglobinuric buffaloes (23.74±2.86 mg%) compared to the healthy control buffaloes (73.71±3.87 mg%). The diseased buffaloes also exhibited severe hypophosphataemia. These findings suggest that an impaired or insufficient antioxidant potential of the red blood cells in this disease in buffaloes is associated with the phosphorus deficiency.