Interrelationship of phytoalexin production and disease resistance in selected peanut genotypes

In peanuts, a mechanism of resistance to fungal infection is reportedly due to the synthesis of stilbene phytoalexins, which are antibiotic, low molecular weight metabolites. The phytoalexin-associated response of different peanut genotypes to exogenous invasion in the field has not been investigated and may be useful for breeding resistant peanut cultivars. Five peanut genotypes, Georgia Green, Tifton 8, C-99R, GK-7 High Oleic, and MARC I, which differ in resistance to major peanut diseases, were investigated for their ability to produce phytoalexins under field conditions in South Georgia in 2001 and 2002. Five known peanut phytoalexins, trans-resveratrol, trans-arachidin-1, trans-arachidin-2, trans-arachidin-3, and trans-3'-isopentadienyl-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene, were quantitated. The phytoalexins were measured in peanuts of different pod maturity (yellow, orange, brown, and black) with or without insect pod damage (externally scarified or penetrated). Kernels from insect-damaged pods of C-99R and Tifton 8 genotypes had significantly higher concentrations of phytoalexins than other genotypes. The same genotypes were the most resistant to tomato spotted wilt virus and late leaf spot, while MARC I, which is highly susceptible to these diseases, produced very low concentrations of phytoalexins. However, there was no significant difference in phytoalexin production by undamaged peanut pods of all tested genotypes. trans-Arachidin-3 and trans-resveratrol were the major phytoalexins produced by insect-damaged peanuts. In damaged seeds, the concentrations of trans-3'-isopentadienyl-3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene were significantly higher in Tifton 8 as compared to other genotypes. There was an association between total phytoalexin production and published genotype resistance to major peanut diseases. Stilbene phytoalexins may be considered potential chemical markers in breeding programs for disease-resistant peanuts.     

Comparative Evaluation of Animal Manures and Their Ashes on Soil pH and Electrical Conductivity in some Southwestern Nigerian Soils

To promote the use of animal waste in agriculture and prevent environmental pollution, an alternative product from the waste should be appraised. This necessitated the study to characterize animal manure ashes and determine its effect on soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) dynamics. Dried manures of cattle, goat, and poultry, their ashes, and nitrogen (N)–phosphorus?–potassium were applied to soil at 120 kg N ha^?1.? Soils collected fortnightly were analyzed for pH and EC. Results indicated that nutrients in manure ashes were comparable to that of dried manures. Changes in pH and EC were not predictable, application of manure ash increased pH by 12% and 13%, 23% and 14%, 20% and 3% while EC increased by 616% and 109%, 1274% and 156%, 2992% and 458%, relative to dried manures and control during incubation, screenhouse, and field experiments, respectively. It was concluded that incorporation of manure ashes increased soil pH and EC although dynamics were unpredictable.     

Precision farming for weed management: techniques

Site-specific weed control techniques have gained interest in the precision farming community over the last years. Managing weeds on a subfield level requires measuring the varying density of weeds within a field. Decision models aid in the selection and adjustment of the treatments, depending on the weed infestation. The weed control can be done either with herbicides or mechanically. A site-specific herbicide application technology can save large amounts of herbicides. Mechanical weed control techniques adapting to the weed situation in the field are applicable to a wide spectrum of crops. Site-specific techniques for the detection and management of weeds are presented. A system for the discrimination of different weed species and crops from images is described, which generates weed maps automatically. Models for the yield effect of weeds are developed and applied in on-farm-research experimental setups. Economic weed thresholds are derived and used for a herbicide application with a patch sprayer.     

Growth performance and hemobiochemical parameters in South African dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus,Sciaenidae) offered brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a feed additive

There is some evidence that single‐cell proteins such as yeast have the potential to improve feed utilization in aquaculture fish, but this has not been investigated in the economically important dusky kob, Argyrosomus japonicus. This study was, therefore, designed to determine the effect of graded levels of dietary inactivated brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, on the growth performance and hemobiochemical parameters of dusky kob in a 6‐week feeding period. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets—consisting of three brewer's yeast‐containing diets at rates of 50,150, and 300 g/kg dry matter (BY5P0, BY15P0, and BY30P0, respectively); a commercial dusky kob diet containing 10% probiotic mix but no brewer's yeast (BY0P1, positive control); and a commercial dusky kob diet with neither the probiotic mix nor the yeast (BY0P0, negative control)—were formulated. A total of 65 fish, weighing an average of 7.02 ± 0.10 g, were randomly distributed to each of 20 replicate tanks. Each dietary treatment was randomly allocated to four tanks and offered to fish at a rate of 2.8% fish body weight per day. A total of 10 fish from each tank were randomly sampled once a week for length and weight measurements. Blood was drawn from five fish per tank (20 fish per treatment) for hematology and serum biochemical analyses at the end of the 6 weeks. Fish on the BY0P0 diet achieved the highest weight gain of 18.53 ± 0.69 g after 6 weeks. Growth rate was significantly reduced in the groups fed BY15P0 and BY30P0 diets compared to the BY0P0, BY0P1, and BY5P0 groups. Fish fed the BY0P0 diet recorded the highest average feed conversion efficiency (FCE) of 0.22, while the BY30P0‐fed group recorded the lowest FCE of 0.15. Hematocrit and alanine transaminase levels declined with increasing levels of yeast. It can be concluded that the maximum inclusion level of brewer's yeast that does not impair growth performance and health of dusky kob is 50 g/kg.     

Distribution and virulence of fungal species isolated from yam (Dioscorea spp.) tubers in three agroecological zones of Nigeria

Abstract

Field surveys were conducted in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the distribution and virulence of fungal isolates associated with tuber rot disease among yam (Dioscorea spp.) producing agroecological zones (AEZs) of Nigeria. A total of 70 and 66 farmers’ fields were surveyed in 2012 and 2013, respectively among three yam species, Dioscorea rotundata, D. alata and D. cayenensis. Fifteen rotted samples were randomly collected per each yam species in fourteen districts across the humid rainforest (HF), the derived savanna (DS) and the southern Guinea savanna (SGS) agroecologies. Twenty-one fungal species were isolated in the HF, 18 species in the DS and 16 in the SGS. The highest rot severity was in HF agroecology in the D. rotundata which varied from 27.2% to 65.7% in 2012 and from 21.1 to 57.4% in 2013, while the SGS agroecology had the least severity. Lasiodiplodia theobromae was the most virulent pathogen with lesion diameter of 26.8–42.1?mm at 14?days after inoculation. Findings provide baseline information for the formulation of management strategies for yam tuber rot disease in Nigeria.     

Genetic diversity assessment of Bulgarian durum wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum durum</Emphasis> Desf.) landraces and modern cultivars using microsatellite markers

The genetic diversity in a Triticum durum Desf. collection, consisting of 102 Bulgarian landraces, nine Bulgarian and 25 introduced cultivars was studied using 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers. A total of 100 alleles were identified, with an average of 7.14 alleles per marker. The gene diversity values (He) of the markers for the total samples ranged from 0.23 (WMS357 and WMS631) to 0.77 (WMS46), with an average of 0.52. Within the landraces that were collected from 18 sites in Southern Bulgaria showed 2–11 alleles per locus with an average of 6.07. The microsatellite analysis suggests that the genetic diversity among landraces is lower compared to the diversity levels for durum wheat in countries close to the main centers of wheat domestication. Breeding activities have caused significant reduction of the allelic polymorphism, elimination of rare alleles, and increase in the number of common alleles and the frequency of dominating alleles.     

Biological control of goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis by Duddingtonia flagrans in a semi-arid region of the northeastern Brazil

The aim of this study was to test a pellet formulation in a sodium alginate matrix of Duddingtonia flagrans in the biological control of goat gastrointestinal helminths kept in a native pasture in a semi-arid region of Paraíba state, northeastern Brazil. An area of 2.4 ha was divided into three paddocks, where groups of seven goats ware formed. Each group received the following treatments during the months of March to August 2011: D. flagrans group, received 3g of pellets containing D. flagrans (AC001) for each 10 kg/l.w., twice a week; Moxidectin 0.2% group, received 0.2mg/kg of Moxidectin 0.2% orally, every 30 days; Control group, received 3g of pellets without fungi per 10 kg/l.w., twice a week. Each month, a tracer goat was placed in each group for 30 days and then sacrificed and necropsied. The D. flagrans group showed a greater reduction in EPG, increased weight gain, higher rates of packed cell volume and lower parasitic load burden in the tracer goats compared to Moxidectin 0.2% and Control groups. D. flagrans was efficient in controlling goat gastrointestinal helminthiasis in a semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil.     

Genetic evaluation of IS900 partial sequence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Brazilian isolates from bovine milk

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis. Insertion sequence IS900 is used for the identification of MAP. The objective of this study was to verify the genetic conservation of IS900 sequences in raw milk samples. To evaluate genetic conservation, 206 quarter milk samples and 16 bulk-tank milk samples were collected. DNA extraction and IS900 PCR were performed in all samples. Six samples amplified the expected fragment. To confirm the identity of the amplified fragments, PCR products were cloned and sequenced. The resulting sequences were compared with other MAP sequences from GenBank, and it was possible to identify eight polymorphic regions and to form five distinct haplotypes. The number of mutations in each haplotype was verified. IS900 sequence is a very well-conserved sequence that could be used as tool for the molecular detection of this agent and epidemiological purposes. The results showed the first genetic analysis on Brazilian isolates of MAP.     

Monocyte-derived dendritic cells enhance cell proliferation and porcine circovirus type 2 replication in concanavalin A-stimulated swine peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells cooperating with other immune cells for the activation of innate and adaptive immune responses. The objective of the present study was to investigate the replication activity of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in DCs and/or lymphocytes during their cross talk and its possible mechanism. Two models were set, herein. Swine blood monocyte (Mo)-derived DCs (MoDCs) or peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were inoculated with PCV2 prior to their co-cultivation. Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (Con A) were used to stimulate MoDCs and PBLs, respectively. During 6 days of cultivation, a high PCV2 antigen-containing rate without detectable intranuclear signals and a slight but significant increase in the copy number of PCV2 genome were detected in PCV2-inoculated MoDCs. The presence of LPS alone or PCV2-free PBLs, however, had no effect on the location of PCV2 antigens or copy number of PCV2 genome in PCV2-inoculated MoDCs. On the contrary, active PCV2 replication occurred in Con A-stimulated PCV2-inoculated PBLs. When compared with blood Mos, MoDCs induced significantly higher cell proliferation and intensified PCV2 replication in Con A-stimulated PCV2-inoculated PBLs, for which direct contact between MoDCs and lymphocytes was required. Among the cytokines secreted by Con A-activated PBLs, interleukin (IL)-2, but not IL-4 or interferon-γ, could induce cell proliferation and PCV2 replication in PCV2-inoculated PBLs. The findings suggest that although MoDCs support only limited PCV2 replication in themselves, their accessory cell function is required for cell proliferation and PCV2 replication in PCV2-infected lymphocytes.     

The antiviral activity of six South African plants traditionally used against infections in ethnoveterinary medicine

Viral infections remain a major threat to humans and animals and there is a crucial need for new antiviral agents especially with the development of resistant viruses. The hexane, dichloromethane, acetone and methanol extracts of six plant species selected for their traditional use against infections were tested for in vitro antiviral activity against canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parainfluenza virus-2 (CPIV-2), feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV). All extracts were tested for their cytotoxicity using a colorimetric tetrazolium-based (MTT) assay and were tested for antiviral efficacy at concentrations below CC(50) values on the various cell types used in this study. The antiviral activity of extracts was tested using virucidal and attachment assays. In the virucidal assay, extracts were incubated with virus prior to infection. The most potent inhibition was observed with the acetone and methanol extracts of Podocarpus henkelii against CDV and LSDV, which inhibited replication of the viruses by >75% at 3μg/ml with selectivity index (SI) values ranging between 12 and 45. Excellent activity was also found with the hexane extracts of Plumbago zeylanica and Carissa edulis against CDV, with the extracts reducing viral-induced CPE by 50% and 75% respectively. The hexane extract of C. edulis had moderate activity against FHV-1 with EC(50)<70μg/ml and SI value <2. Only the acetone extract of P. henkelii moderately inhibited replication of LSD virus in the attachment assay, with low activity in other extracts. Of the four extracts with significant antiviral activity, two were prepared from P. henkelii. Therefore, future work will focus on isolating and characterizing the substance(s) responsible for bioactivity in extracts of this species.