Characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeoacremonium</Emphasis> isolates associated with Petri disease of table grape in Northeastern Brazil,with description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeoacremonium nordesticola</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Severe outbreaks of Alternaria leaf blotch and fruit spot were recently observed in cv. Pink Lady apples in northern Israel, especially on fruit. Such severe outbreaks have not been reported from other countries. Symptoms involved cracks and rot around the calyx and external rot of the fruit body. Up to 80 % of the fruit in some orchards were affected by the disease. Microscopic examinations, fulfillment of Koch’s postulates and molecular (genetic) analyses confirmed the causal agent as Alternaria alternata f. sp. mali. The incidence of Alternaria increased as the degree of calyx cracking increased, or if fruit were both cracked and rotted. Injecting spore suspensions into the fruit produced typical rot symptoms. Injection assays of detached fruit of eight apple cultivars showed that cvs. Pink Lady and Golden Delicious were susceptible whereas cv. Jonathan was resistant. Pink Lady and Golden Delicious produced more fruit rot as the inoculum concentration increased. Rot in all three cultivars was moderate close to the skin but more severe close to the seed locule. Aqueous extracts taken from Jonathan fruit peel inhibited germ tube elongation of A. alternata f. sp. mali in vitro. This is the first report on heavy infection of Pink Lady fruit in Israel caused by A. alternata f. sp. mali.     

Soil tillage methods by years interaction for dry matter of plant yield of maize (Zea mays L.) using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model

The objective of this study was to assess soil tillage methods by years interaction for dry matter of plant yield of maize(Zea mays L.) grown in West Poland by the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model. The study comprised four soil tillage methods, analysed in 12 years through field trials arranged in a randomized complete block design, with four replicates. Dry matter of plant yield of the tested soil tillage methods varied from 86.7 dt ha~(–1)(for no-plough tillage in 2005) to 246.4 dt ha~(–1)(for complete conventional tillage in 2012), with an average of 146.6 dt ha~(–1). In the variance analysis, 49.07% of the total dry matter of plant yield variation was explained by years, 12.69% by differences between soil tillage methods, and 10.53% by soil tillage methods by years interaction. Dry matter of plant yield is highly influenced by soil tillage methods by years factors.     

A Reproducible Venous Thrombosis Model in Horses Induced by the Combination of an Endothelial Lesion and Blood Flow Stasis

Because of the high incidence of thromboembolic diseases in humans, experimental models of thrombosis have been widely developed in different animal species. The pathogenesis of thrombosis is associated with three components, first outlined by Virchow in 1856: vessel injury, stasis, and hypercoagulability. Based on this concept, the purpose of the present investigation was to create an innovative model of jugular thrombophlebitis in horses that included components of Virchow's triad and excluded surgical procedures. Eighteen horses were subjected to blood vessel injury through the coadministration of sclerosing agents (glucose and ethanolamine oleate) and transitory occlusion of the jugular flow by manual compression. Thrombus formation was followed by ultrasonography imaging, and all horses developed jugular thrombophlebitis, showing that the proposed model was effective. Once occlusive thrombophlebitis was induced, jugular venous pressure cranial to the lesion was evaluated and yielded increased values, suggesting cephalic hypertension. Biochemical tests were performed to verify hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity after the ethanolamine injection, but no abnormalities were observed. Five horses were then euthanized to evaluate the vascular, hepatic, and renal tissues. The jugular vein wall had increased thickness, inflammatory cell influx, endothelial destruction, and thrombus firmly adhered to the vessel intima. Histological evaluation of the hepatic and renal tissues was normal. The present thrombophlebitis model in the jugular vein of the horse is simple and reproducible, providing a useful tool for investigating acute and chronic venous thrombosis because the model allows evaluation of different aspects of the prevention, pathogenesis, and treatment of this disease.