Molecular identification and characterization of groundnut bud necrosis virus and its associated thrips vector from Gerbera jamesonii in India

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Gerbera is an important cut flower crop popular throughout the world. In summer months of 2016, gerberas grown in polyhouses of RHREC, GKVK, Bengaluru,...     

The first report on serotyping of bluetongue virus in small ruminants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,Pakistan

Bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of Orbivirus genus (family Reoviridae), is a non-contagious infection of domestic and wild ruminants. The current study was designed to detect various serotypes of BTV in small ruminants of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan, along with their effects on hemato-biochemical parameters. A total of 408 serum samples in four districts (Mansehra, Abbottabad, Swabi, and Kohat) of KPK from small ruminants were screened based on competitive ELISA (cELISA). A total of 204 (50%) samples were found positive for BTV group–specific antibodies. The seropositive samples were processed for the detection of BTV serotypes through real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Out of 204 cELISA-positive samples, 60 (29.41%) were found positive through qPCR. Three serotypes [6, 8, 9] were detected from Mansehra District and two from Kohat [2, 8] and Abbottabad [6, 8], while only one from Swabi [8]. The serotype “8” was found consistently in all the four study districts. A significant (p?<?0.05) increase in the level of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was recorded in goats, whereas aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in sheep infected with BTV, compared to healthy animals. The hematological parameters showed significantly (p?<?0.05) raised total leucocyte count (TLC) in both sheep and goats, whereas only hematocrit (HCT) value was increased significantly (p?<?0.05) in infected sheep. This is the first report on serotyping of BTV among small ruminants in Pakistan.

     

基于年橘为载体的柑橘木虱优势寄生蜂亮腹釉小蜂规模化生产技术

黄龙病是柑橘生产中最具毁灭性的病害,柑橘木虱Diaphorina citri (Kuwayama)是黄龙病的传播媒介,亮腹釉小蜂Tamarixiaradiata(Waterston)是柑橘木虱的优势寄生蜂,在防治柑橘木虱上具有巨大潜力。本文研究了年橘Citrus reticulata Blanco cv.Nianju为载体的亮腹釉小蜂生产的关键技术,建立了年橘-柑橘木虱-寄生蜂的生产体系,实现了规模化生产。明确了年橘新芽繁育的标准化修剪方法,以整体修剪法为最佳,产芽时间为12.6 d,产芽数量为39.6个/株;明确了柑橘木虱若虫繁育中柑橘木虱成虫接种数量,以柑橘木虱:新芽为2:1为最佳;明确了亮腹釉小蜂生产中亮腹釉小蜂接种数量,以亮腹釉小蜂:柑橘木虱为1:10为最佳。按本文生产方法,每笼（5株年橘）可收获亮腹釉小蜂646.67头。     

Study of genetic diversity in Indian and exotic sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) germplasm using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers

Fifty-eight accessions of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), an important oil seed crop of the tropics and subtropics were analysed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. The material analysed comprised 36 collections from 18 different states of India and four adjoining countries of the Indian subcontinent, and 22 exotic accessions from 21 sesame growing countries around the world. The results from PCR amplifications with the selected 24 random 10-mer primers were statistically analysed. The value of Jaccard’s similarity coefficients ranged from 0.19 to 0.89. The results indicated the presence of high level of genetic diversity. However, the extent of genetic diversity was greater in the collections from Indian subcontinent as compared to the exotics. Among the Indian accessions, the collections from Rajasthan and North-eastern states were highly diverse. The phenetic analysis grouped 48 out of 58 accessions in six clusters and the remaining highly diverse accessions were placed outside these close-knit clusters. The Bootstrap estimates obtained by Wagner parsimony analysis were significant for seven out of 49 nodes in the majority-rule consensus tree (<95% occurrence). The results of both the analyses were, however, broadly comparable when the constitution of the individual clusters were considered. The principal components analysis indicated that the first two components accounted for only 21% of the total variations and in order to explain <75% of variations 18 components were required. The high level of genetic diversity prevalent among the Indian collections is probably indicative of the nativity of this crop species. Similarly, the relatively lower level of polymorphism in exotic germplasm could be ascribed to the comparatively recent introductions of limited germplasm of this crop into some of the non-traditional sesame growing countries. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Correction to: Factors affecting reproductive performance in dromedary camel herds in Saudi Arabia

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This article was originally published with incorrect affiliation 1. The correction affiliation is presented below.     

Specific detection of Phytophthora cactorum in diseased strawberry plants using nested polymerase chain reaction

Validated protocols for DNA purification and PCR amplification are reported for detection of Phytophthora cactorum in diseased strawberry plants. To remove PCR inhibitors, necrotic strawberry tissues were soaked in 5% alconox solution for >12 h before DNA extraction, and the extracted genomic DNA was embedded in an agarose gel chamber and subjected to electrophoresis. The purified DNA was amplified reliably by PCR. Nested PCR was used to detect a portion of the rRNA gene of P. cactorum in samples. In the first round of PCR, primers ITS1 and ITS4 amplified fragments of varying sizes from total genomic DNA from diseased strawberry plants. In the second round of PCR, a 1:25 dilution of the first-round PCR products was used as template with two P. cactorum- specific primer pairs (BPhycacL87FRG and BPhycacR87RRG, which amplified a 340-bp fragment and a 480-bp fragment from the rRNA gene; and BPhycacL89FRG and BPhycacR176RRG, which amplified a 431-bp fragment). Validation tests using culture-based isolations as a standard for comparison indicated that the DNA purification and PCR primers and amplification protocols were reliable and specifically amplified a portion of the rRNA gene of P. cactorum from necrotic root, crown and petiole tissues of strawberry naturally infected by the pathogen.     

Rinderpest in the landhi dairy colony

Earlier diagnostic reports of rinderpest in buffaloes in the Landhi Dairy Colony were discounted by most veterinarians in Pakistan. Four recent investigations have shown beyond doubt that the affliction was indeed rinderpest.     

Bovine uterine defense mechanisms: a review

Bovine uterine defense mechanisms during physiological and pathological conditions have been reviewed in this article. The initial uterine defense against bacterial infection is phagocytosis by uterine leucocytes (mainly neutrophils). The reported literature showed that very little work has been done on immunoglobulins and their role in the bovine uterine defense mechanisms; however, some investigators have found a positive correlation between gamma-globulin and the development of uterine infection after calving. Many explanations exist for the difference in susceptibility of the uterus to infection during the different phases of estrous cycle; however, most of the reports agreed that the uterine defense mechanism is inadequate during diestrus. The abnormal puerperium effects uterine defense mechanisms adversely and prolongs the time to complete uterine involution. Future treatment may utilise natural antimicrobial substances such as proteins or peptides derived from PMN, chemoattractant substances such as E. coli lipopolysaccharide or a bacteria-free filtrate of streptococci. Specific hyperimmunserum could also be used as opsonin for refractory cases of uterine bacterial infections.     

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection and lymphadenitis (taloa or mala) in the camel

Summary Pure cultures ofCorynebacterium pseudotuberculosis were obtained from 11 cases of lymphadenitis (known locally as taloa or mala) in camels. Camel isolates produced typical taloa in camels experimentally inoculated subcutaneously at the base of the external ear with 10¹⁰ colony forming units. A sheep strain ofC. pseudotuberculosis inoculated into camels produced a local abscess at the site of inoculation but did not produce taloa. Re-infection of camels recovered from experimental inoculation did not produce taloa suggesting the possibility of the development of a vaccine against lymphadenitis in camels.

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Infeccion PorCorynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Y Linfadenitis (Taloa O Mala) En El Camello

Resumen Se obtuvieron cultivos puros deCorynebacterium pseudotuberculosis a partir de 11 casos de linfadenitis (conocida localmente como taloa o mala) en camellos. La inoculación subcutánea en camellos en la base de la oreja de 10¹⁰ unidades formadoras de colonias procedentes de un cultivo obtenido de camellos infectados causó taola. Sin embargo, una cepa ovina deC. pseudotuberculosis causó un abceso en el lugar de la inoculación pero no produjo taola en camellos. La reinfección de los camellos que se habían recuperado de la inoculación experimental no causó taola, lo que sugiere la posibilidad de desarrollar una vacuna frente a la linfadenitis caseosa del camello.

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Infection ACorynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Et Lymphadenite (Taloa Ou Mala) Chez Le Chameau

Résumé On a obtenu des cultures pures deCorynebacterium pseudotuberculosis à partir de 11 cas de lymphadénite (dénommée localement taloa ou mala) chez des chameaux. L'inoculation expérimentale des isolements camelins faite en infection sous-cutanée à la base de l'oreille externe avec 10¹⁰ unités formant des colonies a provoqué un taloa typique. Une souche ovine deC. pseudotuberculosis inoculée à des chameaux n'a conduit qu'à la formation d'un abcès local au point d'inoculation mais pas au taloa. La réinfection des chameaux guéris d'une inoculation expérimentale ne provoque pas de taloa, ce qui permet d'augurer la possibilité de développement d'un vaccin contre la lymphadénite cameline.