First report of little leaf disease associated with phytoplasma on sugar beet (Betavulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris var. altissima Doll) in India

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. subsp. vulgaris var. altissima) is a biennial, sugar-producing tuber crop grown in different parts of the world. Diseased sugar beets with symptoms of little leaf were observed during 2008 in Tamil Nadu, India. Phytoplasmas were detected in symptomatic leaves of three separate plants using PCR with primer pair fU5/rU3, which amplify an 880-bp fragment of the 16S rRNA region of phytoplasmas. The nucleotide sequence analysis of a 766-bp fragment had 100% identity among the sequence from the three plants (GQ184437) and 96% nucleotide sequence identity with 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of eggplant phyllody phytoplasma.     

Biodegradable tocopherol acetate as a drug carrier to prevent ureteral stent-associated infection

Biomaterial-centred bacterial infections present common and challenging complications with medical implants like ureteral stent which provide substratum for the biofilm formation. Hence the purpose of this study is to make antibacterial stent surface with biodegradable polymer (tocopherol acetate) and anti-infective agents (norfloxacin and metronidazole) using a modified dip-coating procedure. This is done by impregnating the stent pieces in the anti-infective solution (a mixture of norfloxacin-metronidazole and polymer) for uniform surface coating (drug-carrier-coated stents). After coating, agar diffusion test was performed as qualitative test to find out the sensitivity of coated stents against the clinical isolates, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. Quantitative test was measured by calculating the numbers of adhered bacteria on coated and uncoated stents by incubating the stent pieces in artificial urine. Difference in the number of viable bacteria adhered on the surface of coated and uncoated stents were statistically calculated using chi square test with p < 0.05 considered significant. The stent colonising ability of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli in a controlled environment chamber was determined using two-challenge dose of the isolates by in vitro challenge test. In qualitative test, the zone of inhibition around the coated stents showed sensitivity against the clinical isolates. In quantitative test, the number of adhered bacteria on the surface of coated stents was reduced to a significant level (p < 0.05). The polymer, tocopherol acetate is highly biodegradable in nature. Due to its degrading ability in body tissues, it releases the anti-infective drugs at a constant and sustained rate.     

In vitro corm production in Gloriosa superba L., an Ayurvedic medicinal plant

Summary

In vitro production of corms from Gloriosa superba L. using three kinds of explants: dormant, non-dormant corm buds and 30 d old in vitro derived multiple shoots is reported. Excellent responses was obtained in terms of corm production using MS medium supplemented with B₅ vitamins, 6% sucrose, 2iP, ADS and ANL for corm formation from dormant corm buds, using Kin, ADS and ANL for corm formation from non-dormant corm buds and using BAP, ADS and ANL for callus derived multiple shoot corm formation. Well developed corms were obtained from the tissue cultured plants with no dormancy breaking requirement.     

Antioxidative Properties of Squid Protein Hydrolysates Prepared Using Seer Fish Visceral Enzymes in Comparison with Commercial Enzymes

ABSTRACT

In the present study, antioxidative potential of squid protein hydrolysates (SPH) prepared using endogenous pepsin and trypsin prepared from the stomach and pyloric ceca of seer fish respectively was evaluated, in comparison with commercial enzymes. Degree of hydrolysis (DH) of the pepsin SPH ranged between 8–11% and trypsin SPH between 12–14% after 150 min of hydrolysis. SPH prepared with endogenous enzymes had significantly higher DH than commercial enzymes. Pepsinogen SPH expressed more DH than pepsin SPH. Trypsin SPH exhibited good metal chelating ability (98%), which was equivalent to EDTA at 130 ppm. Pepsin SPH showed higher super oxide anion scavenging activity (75%). Trypsin and pepsin SPH also had high DPPH radical scavenging (85%), ABTS radical scavenging (93%) and ferric reducing (Abs700 = 1.2) abilities. Thus, metal chelating and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities of SPH are dependent on enzymes rather than DH.     

Sorption of sulfuryl fluoride by food commodities

BACKGROUND: The use of sulfuryl fluoride, a structural fumigant for termite and woodborer control, has recently been expanded to treating stored food commodities and food facilities. There is, however, a lack of data on the sorption of sulfuryl fluoride by food commodities. Knowledge about sorption is important in the context of effective treatment and residues.RESULTS: When sulfuryl fluoride was applied at a dose of 50 g m(-3) to various food commodities (total 68) with 300 g per replicate in 0.75 L gas wash bottles (fumigation chambers) at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, in most cases (81%) the gas concentrations in the free space of the commodities exceeded 50 g m(-3) (range 51-80 g m(-3)) at the end of 24 h exposure. In chambers without the substrate, an average concentration of 49.7 g m(-3) was recorded. About 54% of the commodities showed low-level ( < or = 25%) sorption of sulfuryl fluoride, 34% showed medium-level (26-50%) sorption and only 12% were highly sorptive (>50%). The latter include white oats (terminal gas concentration 17.8 g m(-3)), some of the decorticated split pulses (24.0-29.3 g m(-3)), chickpea flour (26.3 g m(-3)), dried ginger (29.0 g m(-3)), refined wheat flour (30.3 g m(-3)) and coriander powder (40.5 g m(-3)). In unfumigated control commodities, owing to interfering volatiles, Fumiscope readings in the range 0-13 were noted.CONCLUSION: Sulfuryl fluoride has the advantage of a low or moderate level of sorption with the majority of the food commodities.     

Polymorphism of growth hormone receptor (<Emphasis Type="Italic">GHR</Emphasis>) gene in Nilagiri sheep

The allelic variation in the regulatory sequence of growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene influences the growth traits of sheep. A study was carried out to find out the polymorphisms associated with exon 10 of GHR gene and its association with growth traits of Nilagiri sheep. The blood samples were collected from Nilagiri sheep (n?=?103) reared at Sheep Breeding Research Station, Sandynallah, Tamil Nadu, India. DNA was isolated using the phenol-chloroform extraction procedure and eight samples having amplified product of part of exon 10 (895 bp) sequenced. The results indicated transitions of nucleotide G>A at loci G177624A and G177878A. The genotyping frequencies estimated using the tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-PCR for GG, GA and AA were 0.262, 0.544 and 0.194, and 0.349, 0.505 and 0.146, respectively. The estimated allele frequencies of G and A nucleotides were 0.5340 and 0.4660, and 0.6015 and 0.3985, respectively, at loci G177624A and G177878A. The effects of both the mutations on growth-related traits viz., birth, weaning (3 months) 6, 9 and 12 months weight in Nilagiri sheep were found to be non-significant. This can be a novel approach to assess growth of sheep using the mutation in GHR gene. Thus, this approach can be useful for further investigation as a molecular marker associated with genetic improvement.     

Analysis of molecular variance and population structure in southern Indian finger millet genotypes using three different molecular markers

The genetic relationship among 42 genotypes of finger millet collected from different geographical regions of southern India was investigated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR), and simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers. Ten RAPD primers produced 111 polymorphic bands. Five ISSR primers produced a total of 61 bands. Of these, 23 bands were polymorphic. The RAPD and ISSR fingerprints revealed 71.3 and 37.4% polymorphic banding patterns, respectively. Thirty-six SSR primers yielded 83 scorable alleles in which 62 were found to be polymorphic. Out of 36 SSR primers used, 14 primers (46.6%) produced polymorphic bands. The SSR primer UGEP7 produced a maximum number of six alleles. Mean polymorphic information content (PIC) of RAPD, ISSR and SSR were 0.44, 0.28, and 0.14, respectively. Molecular variances among the population were 2, 11, and 1% for RAPD, ISSR, and SSR markers, respectively. SSR produced 99% molecular variance within individuals. RAPD and ISSR markers produced a low level of molecular variance within individuals. The STRUCTURE (model-based program) analysis revealed that the 42 finger millet genotypes could be divided into a maximum of four subpopulations. Based on the Bayesian statistics, each RAPD and SSR marker produced three subpopulations (K=3), while ISSR marker showed four subpopulations (K=4). This study revealed that RAPD and SSR markers could narrow down the analysis of population structure and it may form the basis for finger millet breeding and improvement programs in the future.     

The response of phosphine-resistant lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica and rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae in mixed-age cultures to varying concentrations of phosphine

The response of Rhyzopertha dominica and Sitophilus oryzae (both phosphine-resistant) in mixed-age cultures to phosphine at fixed concentration-time products (CT) of 10,500 to 168,000 microliters litre 1 h (ppm h) with either constant, rising or falling concentrations for 7 days was studied at 27 (+/- 2) degrees C. At lower CT products, rising concentrations of phosphine led to significantly fewer survivors of R dominica and S oryzae. Conversely, exposure to falling concentrations of phosphine resulted in significantly more survivors. The influence of changing concentrations of phosphine was more pronounced in S oryzae than in R dominica. In the latter, at the lower CT products of 21,000 and 42,000 microliters-1 h, the adult stage proved to be most tolerant, contrary to the accepted belief that the egg or pupal stage are always more tolerant to phosphine. The results indicate that application of phosphine in rising concentrations is more effective than in constant or falling concentrations.