Colletotrichum acutatum and Colletotrichum nymphaeae causing blossom blight and fruit anthracnose on olives in southern Brazil

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Olive (O. europaea L.) is an expanding crop in the south of Brazil. Blossom blight and typical anthracnose symptoms on fruit were observed in olive trees in an...     

Growth and ripening season effects on antioxidant capacity of strawberry cultivar Selva

There is wide awareness on the importance of antioxidants in cell protection against free radicals constantly produced by the cell metabolism. In this work, carried out with strawberry cultivar “Selva”, the antioxidant capacity and content of the main accepted antioxidants – ascorbic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, total phenols and anthocyanins – were determined along 10 growth stages of the fruit. Strawberries were harvested in winter and summer. Minimum/maximum temperatures in the two seasons were 6.3 °C/14.9 °C and 14.5 °C/27.8 °C, respectively. Antioxidant capacity in the small green stage was 27 mmol DPPH/100 g fresh tissue, keeping noticeably high values in the large-green one. Towards the white stage, antioxidant capacity reduced, to remain mostly constant. The antioxidant capacity was higher in those stages where cell division was more important and this parameter correlated mostly with the contents of total phenols and ascorbic acid.     

Pre-parturition staphylococcal mastitis in primiparous replacement goats: persistence over lactation and sources of infection

This investigation reported for the first time the occurrence of intramammary infections caused by Staphylococcus in primiparous replacement goats before parturition and the persistence of clinical Staphylococcus aureus infection during the lactation period. Subclinical infections, mainly caused by coagulase negative staphylococci (CoNS), did not persist during lactation. Genotyping analysis indicated that environment seems to play a moderate role as source of intramammary infections to goats before parturition, but causative agents of mastitis in lactating animals are not genotypically related to environmental staphylococci. The occurrence and persistence of intramammary infections in replacement goats demonstrate the need to consider those animals as potential sources of infections in dairy goat herds.     

Changes in polyamines and ethylene during the development and ripening of eggplant fruits (Solanum melongena)

The levels of free polyamines in the endocarpium of eggplants (Solanum melongena) cv. Black Nite were studied during fruit growth and ripening. Other parameters such as weight and volume variation, respiratory intensity, ethylene production, and sugar content were determined. The polyamines found were putrescine and spermidine, with a higher amount of the former. No spermine, agmatine, or cadaverine were found during the development and ripening period of eggplant. At the beginning of fruit development, the levels of putrescine and spermidine observed were 1.67 nmol/g of fresh tissue. Putrescine levels peaked at 17.4 nmol/g of fresh tissue on the ninth day after petal fall, decreasing later to the initial levels. No significant changes in spermidine were observed during the growth period of the fruit. Beginning 9 days after petal fall, there was a rapid increase in fruit weight and volume, which coincided with the maximum content of free polyamines. At the same growth stage, total sugar content was maximum. Ethylene production decreased rapidly from 14.23 to 1.5 microL/kg.h and remained low during the whole growth period.     

Maize resistance to northern corn leaf blight is potentiated by nickel

Northern corn leaf blight (NCLB), caused by Exserohilum turcicum, is one of the most devastating diseases affecting maize yield worldwide. A foliar spray of nickel (Ni) to potentiate maize resistance against NCLB was investigated by examining alterations in the photosynthetic apparatus (leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll [Chl] a fluorescence parameters), production of ethylene and reactive oxygen species as well as activities of defence and antioxidant enzymes. Mycelial growth of E. turcicum was inhibited by Ni in vitro. Inoculated plants sprayed with Ni exhibited higher foliar Ni concentration, reduced NCLB symptoms, and lower concentrations of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide. In inoculated leaves of plants not sprayed with Ni, concentrations of Chl a, Chl b, and carotenoids were lower and the photosynthetic apparatus was impaired at the biochemical level due to high NCLB severity. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were not affected by Ni, except an increase in glutathione reductase activity for noninoculated plants sprayed with Ni. High lipoxygenase and polyphenoloxidase activities, lower ethylene production, as well as elevated production of phenolics and lignin helped decrease NCLB severity in the leaves of Ni-sprayed plants.