Assessment of the impact of resistant and susceptible canola on Plasmodiophora brassicae inoculum potential

The impact on clubroot severity of growing susceptible canola or mixtures of resistant and susceptible canola genotypes was examined. Bioassays revealed greater clubroot severity and incidence, and reduced plant height, where 100% of a susceptible cultivar had been grown. A higher proportion of susceptible plants within a resistant canola crop increased root hair and secondary infections. Regression analysis of root hair infection and the amount of Plasmodiophora brassicae DNA (as determined by quantitative PCR) revealed strong linear relationships between the two parameters. The linear relationships between root hair infection and P. brassicae DNA were stronger for the resistant cultivar than for the susceptible cultivar when regression analysis was conducted by cultivar over the sampling dates. In conclusion, the cropping of a resistant cultivar reduced clubroot severity, while the presence of susceptible volunteer canola increased inoculum potential. Quantitative PCR was a reliable tool for the quantification of root hair infection.     

茶树磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸转运子基因CsPPT的克隆与表达分析

以白叶1号为试验材料,通过RT-PCR和RACE技术克隆获得茶树磷酸烯醇式丙酮酸转运子基因CsPPT（GenBank登录号：KJ652972）。CsPPT完整ORF长度为1β227βbp,编码408个氨基酸,蛋白分子量为44.7βkDa,理论等电点为10.16;无信号肽位点,属于非分泌型蛋白;建立了茶树CsPPT蛋白的系统发育树;磷酸化修饰预测该蛋白质多肽链中共有26个磷酸化位点;TMHMM预测表明CsPPT蛋白为跨膜蛋白;亚细胞定位发现,CsPPT蛋白定位于叶绿体上,推测CsPPT蛋白可能定位于叶绿体膜上。荧光定量PCR结果表明CsPPT基因在茶树花中表达量最高,其次为芽、叶和嫩茎,根中最低。     

Soil Salinization in Some Irrigated Areas of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Monitoring and assessment of agricultural land degradation is of vital importance for better land and water management planning and reclamation. It requires setting baseline information and basic analysis at specific time and space. About 33 geo-referenced soil sampling spots were selected in two agricultural production locations in the Kingdom of Bahrain to assess the status and preliminary causes of land degradation. Soil samples were taken from 13 sites in Diraz location while 19 samples were taken from Budayyi location. The samples were taken to 90 cm depth at 30 cm intervals. Standard procedures were followed to determine soil physiochemical properties. In addition, field observations on farm condition, distance from the sea, method of irrigation and irrigation water source were taken. Some of the soil samples were deliberately taken from outside the irrigated basins among trees compared with samples taken from inside the actively growing area for comparison. The results indicated that the salinity level was significantly （P 〈 0.001） higher at the 0-30 cm soil depth compared with 30-60 cm or 60-90 cm depths in both locations. The distance from the sea did not show clear correlation with surface soil salinity in Budayyi area compared with Diraz. Both locations showed significantly higher salinity levels on samples taken outside the actively growing areas compared with those taken from within. The effect is more prominent at the 0-30 cm depth. The observed variability on salinity levels may be attributed to farm management practices and deteriorating quality of ground water. Thus, agricultural land degradation in Bahrain cannot be attributed to ground water deterioration alone. The use of tertiary treated sewage water （TSE） may ease the pressure on ground water, but the pH of the TSE should be carefully monitored and managed with proper studies on leaching requirements to avoid further salinity complications.     

Comparison of biological parameters between the invasive B biotype and a new defined Cv biotype of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> (Hemiptera: Aleyradidae) in China

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a widely distributed and destructive agricultural pest on various host plants. The biology of two biotypes of B. tabaci: the invasive B and a new defined Cv biotype, on a range of host plants (hibiscus, laurel, poinsettia, collard, cucumber and tomato) were studied in the laboratory. Results revealed that the developmental periods of the B biotype immatures were not significantly different on the tested host plants except those between laurel and collard. The Cv biotype immatures developed significantly slower on cucumber and tomato than on the other plants. B. tabaci B biotype had the highest survivorship on collard (68.55%), and the lowest on laurel (33.24%), while the Cv biotype had the highest and lowest survivorships on laurel (61.63%) and tomato (36.74%). Host plants did not significantly affect the pre-ovipostion period regardless of biotype. The longest averaged longevity and highest fecundity of B biotype were both recorded on collard: 25.15 days and 143.0 eggs. The highest fecundity of Cv biotype was 196.49 eggs on laurel and its longest longevity was on hibiscus (19.62 days). The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r _m) of B biotype on the three vegetables were all higher than those on the three ornamentals whereas the r _m of Cv biotype on the three ornamentals were all higher that those on the three vegetables. Our research indicates that B. tabaci B and Cv biotypes have different host plant suitabilities. The three tested vegetables were more suitable for B biotype while the three tested ornamental plants were more suitable for Cv biotype. The potential mechanism for the different suitability of B and Cv biotypes on various host plants is also discussed.     

Unusual manifestation of a concurrent demodectic and sarcoptic mange in a Zebu-Friesian cross-bred heifer

We describe a rare case of a concurrent demodectic and sarcoptic mange in a 2-year-old heifer in Khartoum, Sudan. The lesions were massive lumps of granulomatous tumour-like dermatitis with thick, nodular folds mainly covering the head, neck and shoulders. Histopathological examination of the lesions revealed the presence of both Demodex bovis and Sarcoptes scabiei. The animal died regardless of the anti-parasitic treatment it received.     

Evaluation of a 4‐h static copper sulphate treatment against experimental infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

The efficacy of copper sulphate (CuSO₄) against the early stages of an experimental acute infection of Flavobacterium columnare in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) was evaluated. Fish were challenged, by waterborne exposure to F. columnare in an ultra‐low flow‐through water delivery system, and treated with CuSO₄ at 4.2 and 2.1 mg L^?1 at 5.5 h post challenge for 4 h. Bacterial challenged non‐treated fish acted as a positive control and non‐challenged non‐treated fish acted as a negative control. Fish challenged with F. columnare and treated with CuSO₄ at 4.2 and 2.1 mg L^?1 post challenge had mortalities of 6.4% and 18.3%, respectively, compared with the positive control, which had 90.2% mortality. The mortality of challenged fish treated with CuSO₄ at 4.2 and 2.1 mg L^?1 was significantly different from the positive control. There was no significant difference between the mortalities of the 4.2 and 2.1 mg L^?1 treatments. The results suggest that CuSO₄ has clear therapeutic value against columnaris infections.     

油炸糯米糕营养效应评价及其对血脂健康的影响

为研究食用油炸糯米糕的整体营养健康效应及其对血脂健康的影响,自制纯油炸糯米糕和蒸糯米糕,选用健康雄性小白鼠,分别用油炸糯米糕外壳层、中间层、油炸糯米糕全糕及蒸糯米糕进行6周连续灌胃试验,饲料、葡萄糖作为对照组。采用模拟BDI-GS体系评价法进行营养效价、健康效应评定及试剂盒法对小鼠血脂指标测定,并计算相应指标数据,做图对比分析。结果表明,外壳层组平均日采食量为（5.70 ± 0.56）g,其余各组为6.80 g左右,食用油炸外壳层组的小鼠采食量及体重显著下降;营养健康方面,油炸糯米糕和蒸糯米糕相比无显著差异,各试验样品的累加积分均大于8.0,基本益于机体整体营养和健康;血脂方面,油炸糯米糕全糕会提高小鼠血脂中总胆固醇（TC）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）含量,油炸糯米糕外壳层会提高总胆固醇（TC）、甘油三酯（TG）和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）含量。     

Genetic diversity in Tunisian olive accessions and their relatedness with other Mediterranean olive genotypes

Eighty-four olive accessions obtained from the National Conservatory of Boughrara-Sfax (Tunisia), previously evaluated for morphological traits, were analysed with 47 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. They were compared with other olive genotypes originated from Eastern or Western Mediterranean. The highest and lowest similarities between genotypes, estimated by simple matching algorithm, were 0.98 and 0.40, respectively. A dendrogram based on Ward's method and a factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) showed that most of Tunisian accessions are closely related to olive genotypes originating from the Eastern Mediterranean and some are clustering with genotypes originated from the Western Mediterranean. These findings suggested multiple and complex origin of Tunisian olive. A comparative study between a previous morphological analysis and current RAPD assay was carried out and discussed.