<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas</Emphasis> sp. LSW25R,antagonistic to plant pathogens,promoted plant growth,and reduced blossom-end rot of tomato fruits in a hydroponic system

A Gram-negative rhizobacterial isolate (LSW25) antagonistic to Pseudomonas corrugata, a vein necrosis pathogen of tomato, and promotes the growth of tomato seedlings was isolated from surface-sterilised tomato roots. A spontaneous rifampicin-resistant mutant (LSW25R) was selected to facilitate its tracking, and identified as Pseudomonas sp. and named as Pseudomonas sp. LSW25R (LSW25R), based on its sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and 16 S rRNA gene. LSW25R inhibited mycelial growth of 12 other plant fungal pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea on V8 agar plates. By using a scanning electron microscope, LSW25R colonised not only the root surface around the natural aperture of tomato radicles but also under epidermal cells like endophytic bacteria. LSW25R successfully colonised the roots of tomato, eggplant and pepper seedlings, significantly promoted the fresh weight, height and dry matter of tomato plants at 10⁸ cfu·ml⁻¹, and increased the plant growth of eggplants and peppers at 10⁴ cfu·ml⁻¹, suggesting that the optimal population density of LSW25R for growth promotion varies from species to species. Moreover, densities of LSW25R inside roots and the lowest leaf of tomato plants were > 9.3 × 10³ cfu·g⁻¹. Although the growth promotion of tomato by LSW25R was observed under N- or Ca-deficient conditions as well as a standard nutrient condition, the uptake of calcium was increased only under the standard nutrient condition. In a hydroponic system, LSW25R not only successfully colonised the rhizosphere during cultivation due to its broad spectrum of antifungal activity and endophytic colonisation, but also reduced blossom-end rot of tomato fruits presumably through increasing calcium uptake.     

Fine mapping of grain weight QTLs using near isogenic lines from a Cross between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">O. grandiglumis</Emphasis>

In a previous study, we reported the grain weight QTL, tgw2 in the 150 F2:3 lines derived from a cross between Oryza sativa subssp. Japonica cv. Hwaseongbyeo and HG101. This QTL was confirmed in F4 lines (CR1242) segregating for the target region. For fine mapping of tgw2, one F₅ plant homozygous for the O. grandiglumis DNA in the target region was selected from CR1242 and crossed with Hwaseongbyeo to produce the F₂ and F₃ populations. QTL analysis using 490 F₂ plants confirmed the existence of tgw2 with an R ² value of 28.0%. This QTL explained 61.3% of the phenotypic variance for 1,000-grain weight in 64 F₃ lines. Substitution mapping with 47 F₃ lines and 74 F₄ plants with informative recombination breakpoints in the target region was carried out to narrow down the position of the tgw2. The result indicated that tgw2 was located in the 384-kb interval between two SSR markers, RM12813 and RM12836. Annotation data of BACs in this 384-kb region revealed that forty-five putative genes exist in this interval including the GW2 gene responsible for grain weight and width. Considering the position of the QTL tgw2, it appears that tgw2 is functionally related to the gene GW2. However, the possibility that another unknown mechanism might be responsible for regulation of grain weight at tgw2 cannot be ruled out. Four QTLs for grain length, grain width, and grain thickness were also located in the same interval suggesting that a single gene is involved in controlling these four traits. Substitution mapping also indicated that two QTLs for grain weight and culm length, tgw2 and cl2, were tightly linked.     

Mapping QTLs for grain quality using an introgression line population from a cross between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">O. rufipogon</Emphasis>

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with four milling recovery properties, two chemical properties, six paste properties of grain, and six textural parameters of cooked rice were identified using an introgression line (IL) population of rice developed from an interspecific cross over two years. The IL population consisted of 121 lines from a cross between wild rice (O. rufipogon Griff.) and a japonica cultivar. A total of 28 QTLs were identified for the 14 traits using inter mapping. Of these, 10 were significant over two years indicating that these QTLs are stable across years and environments. For eight (21%) of the QTLs identified, the O. rufipogonderived alleles contributed a desirable effect on amylose content, protein content, minimum viscosity, final viscosity, and consistency. Among these, pc3 for protein content and ac7 for amylose content were significant in both years and showed an R² value of 25.5 and 30.9%, respectively. The markers closely associated with these useful alleles can be used to trace the inheritance of specific chromosome segments in the IL population and also offer a starting point for map-based cloning of genes underlying these traits.     

Changes in neighbourhood food store environment, food behaviour and body mass index, 1981--1990

OBJECTIVE: This paper examines trends in the neighbourhood food store environment (defined by the number and geographic density of food stores of each type in a neighbourhood), and in food consumption behaviour and overweight risk of 5779 men and women. DESIGN: The study used data gathered by the Stanford Heart Disease Prevention Program in four cross-sectional surveys conducted from 1981 to 1990. SETTING: Four mid-sized cities in agricultural regions of California. SUBJECTS: In total, 3154 women and 2625 men, aged 25-74 years. RESULTS: From 1981 to 1990, there were large increases in the number and density of neighbourhood stores selling sweets, pizza stores, small grocery stores and fast-food restaurants. During this period, the percentage of women and men who adopted healthy food behaviours increased but so did the percentage who adopted less healthy food behaviours. The percentage who were obese increased by 28% in women and 24% in men.ConclusionFindings point to increases in neighbourhood food stores that generally offer mostly unhealthy foods, and also to the importance of examining other food pattern changes that may have a substantial impact on obesity, such as large increases in portion sizes during the 1980s.     

Successful treatment of gastrocnemius muscle rupture in a long-tailed goral rescued from a live trap: a case report

We describe a case of gastrocnemius muscle rupture in a goral that got caught in a live trap set up to capture wild boars. We established a diagnostic method based on clinical signs and imaging examination findings, including magnetic resonance imaging for gastrocnemius muscle rupture with symptoms such as hindlimb lameness and plantigrade posture of unknown cause in wild animals. Although this condition is rare, this report will help veterinarians diagnose several diseases of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems in wild animals. This is the first report of successful diagnosis and treatment of gastrocnemius muscle rupture in gorals in Korea.     

Rice Defense Mechanisms Against Cochliobolus miyabeanus and Magnaporthe grisea Are Distinct

ABSTRACT Responses of rice to Magnaporthe grisea and Cochliobolus miyabeanus were compared. In Tetep, a rice cultivar resistant to both fungi, pathogen inoculation rapidly triggered the hypersensitive reaction (HR), resulting in microscopic cell death. In rice cv. Nakdong, susceptible to both pathogens, M. grisea did not cause HR, whereas C. miyabeanus caused rapid cell death similar to that associated with HR, which appeared similar to that observed in cv. Tetep, yet failed to block fungal ramification. Treatment with conidial germination fluid (CGF) from C. miyabeanus induced rapid cell death in both cultivars, suggesting the presence of phytotoxins in CGF. Pretreatment of cv. Nakdong with CGF significantly increased resistance to M. grisea, while the same treatment was ineffective against C. miyabeanus. Similarly, in cv. Nakdong, benzothiadiazole (BTH) significantly increased resistance to M. grisea, but was ineffective against C. miyabeanus. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment appeared to be ineffective against either fungus. Increased resistance of cv. Nakdong to M. grisea by BTH or CCF treatment was correlated with more rapid induction of three monitored PR genes. Application of MeJA resulted in the expression of JAmyb in cv. Nakdong being induced faster than in untreated plants in response to M. grisea infection. In contrast, the expression pattern of the PR and JAmyb genes in response to C. miyabeanus was nearly identical between cvs. Nakdong and Tetep, and neither BTH nor MeJA treatment significantly modified their expression patterns in response to C. miyabeanus infection. Our results suggest that rice employs distinct mechanisms for its defense against M. grisea versus C. miyabeanus.     

Acaricidal activity of plant essential oils against Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Dermanyssidae)

The acaricial activity of 56 plant essential oils against poultry house-collected adult Dermanyssus gallinae De Geer was examined using direct contact and fumigation methods. In a filter paper contact bioassay, 100% mortality at 0.07 mg cm⁻² was observed in bay, cade, cinnamon, clove bud, coriander, horseradish, lime dis 5F, mustard, pennyroyal, pimento berry, spearmint, thyme red and thyme white oils, whereas the mortality of these oils was significantly decreased at 0.02 mg cm⁻². In fumigation tests with adult D. gallinae at 0.28 mg cm⁻², cade, clove bud, coriander, horseradish and mustard oils were more effective in closed containers than in open ones, indicating that the effect of these essential oils was largely due to action in the vapour phase. Plant essential oils described herein merit further study as potential D. gallinae control agents.     

Increased expression of both constitutive and inducible forms of nitric oxide synthase in the delayed phase of acute experimental testicular torsion

To elucidate the roles of both constitutive endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS) in acute experimental testicular torsion, the expression of iNOS and constitutive eNOS and nNOS were studied in the rat testis with ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Western blot analysis showed that all three isoforms of NOS increased significantly at 24-48 hr after I/R and declined slightly thereafter. After I/R, immunoreactivity for both iNOS and nNOS was detected, mainly in the interstitial space around damaged tubules, while germ cells in the damaged tubules were immunostained intensely for eNOS. We postulate that increased expression of the three NOS isoforms in the testis after I/R, which might generate nitric oxide, affects delayed germ cell death following I/R via paracrine or autocrine fashion.