A phytoplasma representative of a new subgroup, 16SrXIII-E, associated with Papaya apical curl necrosis

Papaya apical curl necrosis (PACN) has frequently been observed in several Brazilian states. Affected plants exhibit foliar chlorosis, curvature of the apex, shortening of the internodes leading to bunching of the crown leaves, necrosis of the young apical parts, leaf drop, and dieback. Naturally infected plants were sampled and subjected to PCR assays, which confirmed that a phytoplasma was associated with the disease. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, conventional and computer-simulated RFLP analyses, and phylogenetic analysis allowed the determination of the PACN phytoplasma as a representative of a new subgroup, designated 16SrXIII-E. The phytoplasmas of various 16Sr groups, including 16SrI, 16SrII, 16SrX, 16SrXII, and 16SrXVII, are known to be involved in anomalies in papaya plants in several countries. However, the present study reports, for the first time, the occurrence of a 16SrXIII phytoplasma in association with a papaya disease.     

Spider mite control and resistance management: does a genome help?

The complete genome of the two‐spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, has been reported. This is the first sequenced genome of a highly polyphagous and resistant agricultural pest. The question as to what the genome offers the community working on spider mite control is addressed. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Rehabilitation Experiment at Menzel Habib,Southern Tunisia

This long - term rehabilitation experiment is located near Menzel Habib, in the arid zone of southern Tunisia in a site with unambiguously degraded vegetation and soil, caused by a decades - old practice of overexploitation (grazing and plow agriculture). The fundamental premise is that by reintroducing an appropriate combination of native perennial plants, a simplified version of a previously occurring vegetation (and ecosystem) could be reinstated that would utilize the sparse and irregular water resources available in an efficient and complementary fashion, while also showing considerable resistance and resilience to moderate livestock grazing. The long - term goal is, on the basis of such a simplified system, to progressively achieve, through additional reintroductions and other manipulations, a state similar to that of the "ecosystem of reference," an example of which is provided in the nearby Bou Hedma National Park. In this paper we report various aspects of the experiment related to germination and establishment of four supposed keystone species (Rhanterium suaveolens, Plantago albicans, Stipa lagascae, and Cenchrus ciliaris) sown in field conditions, and compared to the ecosystem of reference for a number of parameters related to the structure and functioning of the ecosystems under study. Over a 4 - year period, distinct changes in the desired direction were observed in the experimental plots, and positive effects of controlled grazing were also recorded.     

Comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation and deficit irrigation on phosphorus uptake in tomato plants

Summary

The comparative effects of partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) and deficit irrigation (DI) on phosphorus (P) uptake in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants were investigated in a split-root pot experiment. The results showed that PRI treatment improved water-use efficiency (WUE) compared to the DI treatment. PRI-treated plants accumulated significantly higher amounts of P in their shoots than DI plants under organic maize straw N fertilisation, whereas similar levels of shoot P accumulation were observed under mineral N fertilisation. Thus, the form of N fertiliser, and thereby the different plant N status, affected the accumulation of P in shoots, as reflected by a higher plant N:P ratio following mineral N fertilisation than after organic N fertilisation. Compared to the DI treatment, PRI significantly increased both the physiological and agronomic efficiencies of P-use under mineral N fertilisation, while similar physiological and agronomic P-use efficiencies were found between the two irrigation treatments with organic N fertilisation. PRI-induced drying and wetting processes might have influenced the bio-availability of soil P, as the concentrations of bio-available P in both bulk and rhizosphere soils were increased compared with the DI treatment under both forms of N fertilisation. It is suggested that a relatively high soil water content in the wet zone of the PRI treatment should be maintained in order to facilitate nutrient (i.e., N and P) transport from the bulk soil to the root surface, thereby enhancing nutrient uptake by the roots.     

Manufacture and properties of bifidogenic saccharides derived from wood mannan

Pinus pinaster wood samples were subjected to double hydrothermal processing. The liquors coming from the second stage, containing soluble saccharides of polymeric or oligomeric nature from hemicelluloses (POHs), were subjected to membrane processing (operating in discontinuous diafiltration) for refining and fractionation. Refined POH fractions were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry and chromatographic techniques. The most complex POH component was made up of 14 hexoses and contained 4 acetyl groups. The fermentability of purified POHs by human fecal inocula was assessed by measuring both carbon source consumption and formation of short-chain fatty acids. The bifidogenic ability of POHs was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The stimulatory effects on the bifidobacterial population reached by POHs were of the same order as those obtained with commercial fructooligosaccharides.     

Simultaneous determination of four biogenic and three volatile amines in anchovy by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

A new method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of four biogenic (putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and tyramine) and three volatile amines (trimethylamine, triethylamine, and tripropylamine) in anchovy. Separation and determination of the selected compounds were carried out by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), using an electrospray ionization source (ESI) in positive ion mode. Chromatographic separation was carried out using an aqueous solution of formic acid (0.1%) and methanol as mobile phase in gradient mode. The method was validated, and mean recoveries were evaluated at three concentration levels (75, 150, and 250 μg/kg), ranging from 70 to 110% at the three levels assayed. Intra- and interday precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), were lower than 15% and 20%, respectively. Limits of quantitation (LOQs) were 25 μg/kg for all cases, except for that of TMA, which was set at 60 μg/kg. The developed procedure was applied to determine the target compounds in anchovy samples stored during 7 days at 4 °C, observing the increasing in the concentration of these compounds at longer storage time.     

Impact of must sugar reduction by membrane applications on volatile composition of Verdejo wines

Climate changes are inducing increased sugar levels of must, which produces negative effects on wine quality, as unbalanced wines with high degrees of alcohol. So, effective strategies to control the increase of sugar levels in must have been studied. One of them is the use of a membrane process, and this is applied in this work. The sugar level of white must from Verdejo (Vitis vinifera variety) was reduced using diverse membrane processes, and the effect of this fact on the volatile composition of the corresponding wines is studied. The study was carried out during three consecutive vintages. An important impact of the reduction of sugar levels of must on the volatile composition of the obtained wines was detected, which was due to some retention phenomena of aromatic and precursor compounds. To minimize the volatile composition modifications, an appropriate selection of the nanofiltration membrane must be done.     

Characterization of refractory organic substances by NEXAFS using a compact X-ray source

Purpose  

We present the characterization of environmental samples using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra recorded with an in-house device. We want to point out the feasibility of such an easily accessed complementary technique, if not sometimes alternative to NEXAFS studies performed with synchrotron radiation, as the number of compact setups is increasing.