Seed transmission of verticillium wilt of cotton

Twenty-nine cotton genotypes with varying levels of susceptibility to Verticillium dahliae were grown in infested plots at Nazilli, Ayd?n, in 2008–2009. The highest level of disease incidence was recorded in cultivars ‘BA-151’, ‘Celia’, ‘Çukurova-1518’, ‘Fla?’ and ‘Mara? 92’, and averaged 85–95% for all genotypes in both years. The incidence of V. dahliae in seed averaged 29.8% for cv. Çukurova-1518, 27.6% for Fla?, 24.6% for cv. BA-151, 19.0% for cv. Celia and 16.2% for Mara? 92. Two hundred seeds from each genotype were planted, two seeds per pot, in a steam-pasteurized mixture of soil, peat, and sand. Pots were placed close to each other on a greenhouse bench to obtain a thick canopy. Typical disease symptoms appeared about 12–13 weeks after sowing. Maximum disease incidence values averaged 3.3% for Celia, 4.5% for Mara? 92, 8% for BA-151, 9% for Fla? and 9.5% for Çukurova-1518.     

The influence of plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria on growth and enzyme activities in wheat and spinach plants

A pot experiment in a greenhouse was conducted in order to investigate the effect of different N₂‐fixing, phytohormone‐producing, and P‐solubilizing bacterial species on wheat and spinach growth and enzyme activities. Growth parameters and the activities of four enzymes, glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD; EC 1.1.1.49), 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD; EC 1.1.1.44), glutathione reductase (GR; EC 1.8.1.7), and glutathione S‐transferase (GST; EC 2.5.1.18) were determined in the leaves of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., Konya) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), noninoculated and inoculated with nine plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR: Bacillus cereus RC18, Bacillus licheniformis RC08, Bacillus megaterium RC07, Bacillus subtilis RC11, Bacillus OSU‐142, Bacillus M‐13, Pseudomonas putida RC06, Paenibacillus polymyxa RC05 and RC14). Among the strains used in the present study, six PGPR exhibited nitrogenase activity and four were efficient in phosphate solubilization; all bacterial strains were efficient in indole acetic acid (IAA) production and significantly increased growth of wheat and spinach. Inoculation with PGPR increased wheat shoot fresh weight by 16.2%–53.8% and spinach shoot fresh weight by 2.2%–53.4% over control. PGPR inoculation gave leaf area increases by 6.0%–47.0% in wheat and 5.3%–49.3% in spinach. Inoculation increased plant height by 2.2%–24.6% and 1.9%–36.8% in wheat and spinach, respectively. A close relationship between plant growth and enzyme activities such as G6PD, 6PGD, GR, and GST was demonstrated. Plant‐growth response was variable and dependent on the inoculant strain, enzyme activity, plant species, and growth parameter evaluated. In particular, the N₂‐fixing bacterial strains RC05, RC06, RC14, and OSU‐142 and the P‐solubilizing strains RC07 and RC08 have great potential in being formulated and used as biofertilizers.     

Clinicopathologic diagnosis of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in an Angora cat

This report deals with a case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in a 2 year-old female Angora cat. Cutaneous lesions were characterized by prescapular ulcers and hyperemic nodules in the skin of the inguinal and dorsosacral regions. A skin biopsy sample was collected from the lesioned area and processed for histopathologic examination and immunoperoxidase test using Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum specific antibodies. Toxoplasma gondii immunopositive reactions were detected in keratinocytes and dermal macrophages while no immunoreactivity was detected for N. caninum. The case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis was further confirmed by PCR analysis using T. gondii B1 gene-specific primers. In conclusion, we report the first case of cutaneous toxoplasmosis in Angora cats.     

Screening mycorrhiza species for plant growth,P and Zn uptake in pepper seedling grown under greenhouse conditions

We screened the mycorrhizal species for an inoculum protocol would green pepper seedling production and compensate for nutrient deficiency. Three greenhouse studies (on three successive years) were conducted under nursery conditions using five arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and their mixture. The AM fungi, Glomus mosseae, G. clarum, G. caledonium, G. intraradices and G. etunicatum propagated on maize roots were used. The AM fungi were inoculated to seed stages and half of the seed stages inoculated plants were re-inoculated at the seedling stages. In Experiment I, plants were harvested once and in Experiments II and III, plants were harvested twice at different developmental stages.     

In vitro fermentation of different starches by mixed micro-organisms from the sheep rumen

Fermentation characteristics of wheat, rye, maize and triticale starches by mixed micro-organisms from the sheep rumen were determined in an in vitro experiment. Starch was incubated with ruminal fluid for 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 h and various fermentation variables were determined. The rates of fermentation of the starches were not different (p > 0.05) from each other except for 2 and 4 h of incubation. Likewise, net ammonia production, sugar utilization, microbial biomass and the efficiency of microbial protein synthesis did not differ between the starches (p > 0.05). The proportions of sugar utilized were similar between the starches and approximately 75% of the starches were fermented during the 12-h incubation. The 12-h net concentrations of individual and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) were affected (p < 0.05) by the type of starch. The concentrations of acetate, propionate and butyrate and that of total VFA from wheat, maize and triticale incubations were higher (p < 0.05) than those from rye incubation. The results suggest that the type of starch subject to investigation had no measurable effects on fermentation variables determined in this study except for individual and total VFA concentrations.     

Effects of immunization with purified specific proteins on the formation of secondary hydatid cysts in mice

In this study, immunoreactive proteins (8, 68 and 116 kDa) of Echinococcus granulosus metacestode stages were partially purified using isoelectrical focusing by a Rotofor cell device. Sixty Swiss albino mice were separated into three experimental and three control groups (n = 10). The mice of the three experimental groups were immunized with 8, 68 and 116 kDa purified proteins, respectively. 25 days after immunization, serum samples from each group were examined to assess immunization status by Western blotting. Protoscolices were applied intraperitoneally to control and immunized groups. By necropsy, mice were examined for cyst formation, size, number and fertility 2, 5, 8, and 10 months after experimental infection, respectively. Immunization with all three proteins was found to have a significant inhibitory effect on the metacestode formation of in mice (p < 0.001).     

Gross morphological and histological features of larynx, trachea and syrinx in Japanese quail

This study aimed at observing gross morphological and histological characteristics of the larynx, trachea and syrinx in Coturnix coturnix japonicum (Japanese quail). Sixteen mature quails were divided into two groups. Eight animals were stained with 0.1% methylene blue for 15 min, followed by 50% and 70% ethyl alcohol solution for gross morphological examination. For the observation of histological characteristics the larynx, trachea and syrinx were fixed in 10% formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. Six-micron sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. There were three rows of papillae which were located oral (one row) and aboral (two rows) aspects of the mound. The cricoid cartilage was triangular in shape. Only the inlet of the larynx was covered by the olfactory mucosa whereas the rest was covered by the respiratory mucosa. There were 83-91 tracheal rings which were gradually narrowed from the cranial to the caudal direction. No overlapping occurred between the rings. The last few tracheal rings did not fuse dorsally and formed the tympanium. The pessulus possessed connection with the last tracheal ring and the first bronchial ring. Moreover, it was like a semiprism in shape at the region of bifurcation being vertical in direction. The syrinx was formed by the paired, C-shaped and incomplete bronchial syringeal cartilages. The mucosa of the syrinx was lined with a pseudo-stratified layer of prism-shaped epithelium. There were nine or 14 C-shaped cartilaginous primary bronchi.     

Identification of resistance to Pratylenchus thornei,P. neglectus,P. penetrans and Ditylenchus dipsaci in Turkish accessions of five wild chickpea species (Cicer bijugum,C. echinospermum,C. pinnatifidum,C. reticulatum and C. turcicum)

Phytoparasitica - Plant-parasitic nematodes feed and reproduce in chickpea roots. Root-lesion nematodes are one of the most important biotic factors to limit chickpea production in the world. The...