Detection of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean cryptic species on soybean in São Paulo and Paraná States (Brazil) and interaction of cowpea mild mottle virus with whiteflies

Since the detection of Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) species in Brazil in the early 1990s, this whitefly has been the predominant species and the main viral vector in the country. In this work, whiteflies were collected from commercial soybean fields near and far from greenhouses where Mediterranean (MED) species had previously been detected infesting vegetable crops. Results indicated that MEAM1 was the predominant whitefly species in soybean in most sampling sites, while MED was found colonizing soybean plants in open field conditions alone and/or with MEAM1 in several places. Among the tested insects, MED species was mostly detected harbouring the facultative endosymbiont Hamiltonella. We also detected cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV) infecting soybean plants. Transmission assays demonstrated that MED species was more efficient transmitting CPMMV from beans to beans and from soybean to soybean plants than MEAM1, while MEAM1 was more efficient in transmitting the virus from soybean to bean than MED. Performance assays indicated that adult emergence of both species on CPMMV-infected soybean plants was higher when compared with the emergence on healthy plants. Moreover, nonviruliferous MED and MEAM1 adults preferred to settle more often on healthy plants, while viruliferous adults settled more often on CPMMV-infected soybean plants. As MED has already been found in soybean open fields in São Paulo and Paraná States, Brazil, and it is a good vector of CPMMV, we anticipate problems related to whitefly management and to increase in the incidence of the virus in soybean.     

Combined Drought and Heat Stress in Rice: Responses,Phenotyping and Strategies to Improve Tolerance

Simultaneous occurrence of drought and heat stress will have significant negative impact on rice yield, especially under upland conditions. The projected increase in global temperatures and reduced precipitation will increase the frequency of occurrence and intensity of these stresses, threatening rice production. Despite recognizing the importance of combined stress in rice, the knowledge generated in this area is very limited. Though complex, understanding combined stress tolerance of rice under water saving cultivation is more critical towards development of climate resilient rice cultivars. Here, we summarized the effects of combined stress on rice physiology with more emphasis on reproductive stage. Omics responses, phenotyping and physiology challenges and potential strategies for improving combined stress tolerance in rice are also discussed.     

Effect of protein source on the reproductive performance of female rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Two-year-old rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), females were fed three different diets containing animal protein R1 or vegetable protein R2 and R3 over 12 months from March 1993 until February 1994. Diets containing vegetable protein slightly depressed broodstock growth rates, although the final weight differences among groups were not statistically significant. The mean total fecundity (eggs female^?1) was significantly higher (P<0.05) in group R1. With regard egg composition, amino acids levels in group R3 were significantly lower (P<0.05) than in the other groups. Although the total amino acids of eggs from the R1 and R2 groups presented a similar pattern, the essential amino acids lysine, threonine, cystine and isoleucine were lower in the R2 group. The ω 6 and ω3 fatty acid levels of the eggs were also affected by the protein source of the diet. In both the R2 and R3 groups, the plasma levels of 17β-estradiol reached a maximum level one month later than the R1 group. For the R2 and R3 groups, plasma levels of vitellogenin peaked after a one-month delay; peak values were significantly lower (P< 0.05) than in the R1 group. Similarly, the vitellogenin content of the eggs was in accordance with plasma levels in broodstock females. The results of the present study demonstrated that the composition of diet significantly affected reproductive indices and composition of the eggs.     

The budget of nitrogen in the grow‐out of the Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum Heller) and tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum Cuvier) farmed in monoculture and in integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems

This work determined the nitrogen inputs, outputs and accumulation in compartments of stagnant earthen ponds for the monoculture and integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA) of the Amazon river prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum) and tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), using recycled hypereutrophic water. A completely randomized experiment was designed with four treatments and three replications: PM–monoculture with 30 prawns/m², FM ‐ monoculture with 3 fish/m², IMTA ‐ polyculture with 30 prawns/m² and 30 fish/m² free, POLY‐CAGE ‐ polyculture with 30 prawns/m² free and 40 fish/m³ in net‐cages. Animals, rain, water, feed, soil, gas, accumulated sludge, and suspended sediments were collected throughout the experiment to determine their nitrogen contents and to calculate the nitrogen budget. Results showed that much of the nitrogen available escapes to atmosphere as N₂ (~40%–56%) after denitrification or accumulated within bottom sludge (~14%–42%). The remaining nitrogen was converted in animal biomass (~5%–21%) or was discharged to receiving waterbodies in the outlet water (~11%–13%). Feed management appeared to influence the major biological processes in the aquatic nitrogen cycle, such as photosynthesis and denitrification. The fish‐prawn IMTA systems converted approximately 53%–75% of feed nitrogen into harvestable products, which is more efficient than the 19%–46% of feed nitrogen converted in the monocultures. However, a large amount of nitrogen is accumulated in the pond bottom in all systems. An increased prawn density or the addition of a mud‐feeder species to the culture may enhance the incorporation of this material in harvested biomass, improving the efficiency of the systems.     

Effect of experimental arginine supplementation on the growth,immunity and resistance of tilapia fingerlings to Streptococcus agalactiae

Streptococcosis causes serious economic losses to fish farms every year. A four‐week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate arginine (ARG) supplementation in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings challenged by Streptococcus agalactiae. Fish were fed with experimental diets containing five levels of supplementation with 1.39%, 1.76%, 1.97%, 2.18% or 2.39% analysed level of ARG. Each diet was randomly distributed in 30 tanks containing 20 fish/tank. After 30 days, no differences were observed in performance parameters, weight gain, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, feed intake or food conversion. After the performance assay, fingerlings were infected with 1.95 × 10⁸ CFU/fish of Streptococcus agalactiae. Mortality was verified daily, and the respiratory burst of leucocytes and nitric oxide production were measured at 0 hr, 24 hr, 7 days and 15 days after infection. The survival rate of the fish is compared using the Kaplan–Meier method, with values of 4.29%, 14.8%, 10.8%, 17.2% and 33.3% for the 1.39, 1.76, 1.97, 2.18 and 2.39 treatments respectively. A reduction in the mortality rate and a boost in the immune responses was observed in all the supplementations of ARG in the diet; however, the best survival rates were obtained in the treatments with 2.39% ARG as well as the most efficient immune responses.     

An optimized index for cold tolerance assessment in rice during germination and early seedling stage

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Cold tolerance at germination and seedling stage is one of the most seeked traits in Southern Brazilian rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, thus, the...     

Cyathostominae (Nematoda) parasites of Equus caballus in some Brazilian states.

Thirty six horses from nine Brazilian states (Goiás, Minas Gerais, Pará, Maranh?o, Piauí, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, and Ceará) were examined for infections by small strongyles. The following species were identified: Cylicocyclus nassatus, C. insigne, C. brevicapsulatus, C. leptostomum, C. radiatus, C. ultrajectinus, C. ashworthi, Cylicostephanus goldi, C. calicatus, C. minutus, C. longibursatus, Petrovinema poculatum, Coronocyclus coronatus, C. labiatus, C. labratus, Cyathostomum catinatum, C. pateratum, C. alveatum, Parapoteriostomum euproctus, Cylicodontophorus bicoronatus, Poteriostomum ratzii, P. imparidentatum and Gyalocephalus capitatus. The most prevalent were C. longibursatus (100%), C. nassatus (97.22%) and C. catinatum (94.44%). They were also the most abundant species, comprising 31.84, 23.71 and 14.14%, respectively, of the Cyathostominae parasites found. Infections were found to include 2-17 species in a single horse, with variable associations.     

Changes in heterosis under within-line selection or reciprocal recurrent selection: an experiment on early egg production in Japanese quail

In much animal production, commercial animals are crossbreds from closed lines or breeds under long-term directional selection. Therefore it is desirable to be able to predict heterosis gains over the generations as it is done for genetic progress under within-line selection. However, heterosis is the phenotypic expression of a complex phenomenon which may involve several types of genetic effects like dominance and epistasis. In animal breeding, basic quantitative genetics theory indicates that heterosis should be proportional to (squared) differences in gene frequency between populations (e.g. F alconer and M ac K ay 1996), and it has been found approximately correct, so it is commonly used for planning crosses. Under that type of heterosis, however, selection towards the same objective in two populations should bring gene frequencies closer, and therefore it should eventually decrease heterosis. On the other hand, reciprocal recurrent selection designed to increase genetic distance between lines should eventually achieve maximum heterosis (O llivier 1982). Some experiments reviewed by brun (1982) have already compared genetic progress under within-line and reciprocal recurrent selection, but they did not focus on comparing the trend of heterosis with generations between the two selection methods. Also, heterosis was monitored periodically in some selection experiments on poultry, and results were reviewed by F airfull (1990). They were somewhat contradictory, but they generally failed to relate genetic progress to loss of heterosis under within-line selection. Moreover, in commercial production, as purebreds and crossbreds are not contemporaries and are generally maintained under very different management systems, estimations of heterosis and of the evolution of crossbred advantage over the generations may be difficult to obtain. Using the Japanese quail as an experimental animal, the present work was initiated specifically to follow the changes in heterosis brought about by selection for a single heterotic trait, early egg production (M invielle et al. 1995). For that purpose, two selection methods expected to have opposite effects on heterosis, directional within-line (or individual) selection and reciprocal recurrent selection, were applied for 13 generations in four quail lines started from two different origins, and trends of heterosis in the selected character and in weight and egg traits were evaluated.     

New Isocoumarin Derivatives and Meroterpenoids from the Marine Sponge-Associated Fungus Aspergillus similanensis sp. nov. KUFA 0013

Two new isocoumarin derivatives, including a new 5-hydroxy-8-methyl-2H, 6H-pyrano[3,4-g]chromen-2,6-dione (1) and 6,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethylisocoumarin (2b), a new chevalone derivative, named chevalone E (3), and a new natural product pyripyropene S (6) were isolated together with 6, 8-dihydroxy-3-methylisocoumarin (2a), reticulol (2c), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, chevalone B, chevalone C, S14-95 (4), and pyripyropene E (5) from the ethyl acetate extract of the undescribed marine sponge-associated fungus Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013. The structures of the new compounds were established based on 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and in the case of compound 3, X-ray analysis was used to confirm its structure and the absolute configuration of its stereogenic carbons. Compounds 1, 2a–c and 3–6 were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, and multidrug-resistant isolates from the environment. Chevalone E (3) was found to show synergism with the antibiotic oxacillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).