Development and evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the serodiagnosis of pythiosis in dogs

Pythiosis (caused by the aquatic oomycete Pythium insidiosum) is a devastating and often fatal cause of either severe transmural gastroenteritis or locally invasive subcutaneous disease in dogs living in the southeastern United States. Although early diagnosis is essential for successful treatment, tools available for this task are limited. Therefore, we developed and evaluated an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of anti-P insidiosum antibodies in canine serum. A soluble mycelial extract of P insidiosum was utilized as antigen in the ELISA, which was used to evaluate serum from 43 dogs with pythiosis, 8 dogs with lagenidiosis (another canine oomycosis), 16 dogs with nonoomycotic fungal or algal infections, 22 dogs with nonfungal gastrointestinal or skin disease, and 55 healthy dogs. Results were expressed as percent positivity (PP) relative to a strong positive control serum run on each plate. Medians and ranges for each of the 5 groups were as follows: pythiosis (81.7%, 50.6-98.5%), lagenidiosis (17.3%, 11.3-29.2%), other fungal or algal infections (8.2%, 4.7-15.4%), nonfungal gastrointestinal or skin disease (6.2%, 3.9-20.7%), and healthy dogs (6.7%, 3.0-15.2%). When using a cutoff value of 40% PP, the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA both were 100%. In addition, ELISA values measured after successful surgical therapy in 2 dogs showed a decrease of anti-P insidiosum antibody concentrations into the normal range as early as 2 months after treatment. We conclude that the ELISA is a sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of canine pythiosis, and may be a useful tool for monitoring response to medical or surgical therapy.     

香菇开放式接种中环境微生物的变化和接种效果

对四个香菇开放式接种场所内不同时间点环境中霉菌和细菌的数量、温度和湿度进行测定,结果表明,在同一测试场所,不同测试时间点环境中霉菌和细菌的数量有所变化。总体上,消毒前和接种结束时环境中霉菌和细菌的数量相对较多,接种开始和接种进行一半时环境中霉菌和细菌的数量较少。各场所环境中的温度、湿度与霉菌和细菌的数量无相关性。消毒前环境中霉菌、细菌数量与菌棒污染率成正相关,相关系数分别为0.83和0.96;接种开始时环境中霉菌、细菌数量与菌棒污染率的相关系数分别为0.64和0.94;接种进行一半和接种结束时环境中的霉菌数量与菌棒污染率无相关性,而这两个时间点细菌数量与菌棒污染率的相关系数分别为0.62和0.88。     

Effects of three esca-associated fungi on Vitis vinifera L.: V. Changes in the chemical and biological profile of xylem sap from diseased cv. Sangiovese vines

A vineyard of Vitis vinifera cv. Sangiovese was surveyed for incidence of esca and xylem sap collection. Sap samples were collected from healthy vines and from those with dual infection by Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Pch) and Togninia minima (Tmi) or triple infection by Pch, Tmi and Fomitiporia mediterranea (Fme), during each early spring in a 3-year period (2001–2003). In order to analyse the possible trends in the climatic data, temperature and rainfall were assessed. At sap harvesting, aliquots of sap were assayed for phytotoxicity and extracted with ethyl acetate for phytotoxin recovery. Moreover, the exopolysaccharide (EPS) content was evaluated on several sap samples during the bleeding period. Conidia of Pch and Tmi, mycelium of Fme and their secondary metabolites were found in the sap of the esca-affected vines, indicating that the pathogens and their by-products together with some defence substances were accumulated and then translocated. Bioactivity tests showed toxicity of the sap from esca-affected vines to healthy detached leaves of cv. Sangiovese. The daily amount of sap, the pH, and the volume (J_v) and solute (J_s) fluxes were analysed as a function of the infecting fungi. Pullulan, glucogalactomannan(s) and arabinogalactan(s) are the main EPS in the esca-infected vines, whereas in the sap of healthy vines no traces of pullulan were found. Scytalone and isosclerone usually produced in vitro by Pch and Tmi were also detected in the sap of vines infected by Pch and Tmi or by Pch, Tmi and Fme. The endogenous phytohormone content of healthy vines evaluated by the cutting bioassay was different from that of infected vines. Four phenolics belonging to three classes e.g., benzoic acid derivatives, stilbenes and flavonol-glycosides were separated and identified by HPLC.     

Predicting the spread of postharvest disease in stored fruit,with application to apples

Postharvest diseases can cause considerable damage to harvested fruit in controlled atmosphere storage. Since there is a large cost associated with opening the storage rooms, regular assessment of damage levels is not feasible, and many experts agree on the need for a reliable predictive model. Presented here is a simulation model that predicts the overall incidence of disease in a bin of stored fruit as a function of initial infection levels and the fruit's susceptibility to fungal attack. Uninfected fruit tissue, infected fruit tissue, and fungal growth are modelled by a system of three ordinary differential equations. Simulations of the growth and spread of the pathogen in storage were conducted, with disease incidence measured monthly. The model provides insight into the dynamics of postharvest fungal disease, and forms the basis of a predictive model that could be used by packinghouses to determine how long a given crop of fruit can be stored before the infection risk rises above a predetermined tolerable level.     

多菌灵和青霉素在组培污染中的应用

为了消除植物组织培养过程中出现的真菌和细菌污染 ,而又不杀伤植物组织 ,采用多菌灵和青霉素混合溶液浸泡污染的组培苗茎段的结果发现 ,多菌灵对真菌有杀灭作用 ,对细菌没有明显作用 ;青霉素只对细菌有抑制作用 ,继代后细菌污染照常存在 ;而对污染的组培苗采用 75 %乙醇和 0 .1% Hg Cl2 处理可彻底杀灭真菌和细菌     

Testing of selected South African <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus</Emphasis> hybrids and families for tolerance to the pitch canker pathogen, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium circinatum</Emphasis>

Plantations of Pinus spp. constitute approximately 50% of the South African forestry industry. The first aim of this study was to develop a reliable inoculation technique to screen Pinus spp., for tolerance to infection by F. circinatum, which threatens pine forestry in South Africa. Inoculation of branches was compared with stem inoculations and we considered the number of branches or trees required to obtain statistically significant results. Furthermore, variation in the susceptibility of some Pinus families, clones and hybrids was considered. Results showed that branch inoculations were closely correlated with those from stem inoculations, and that it is important to consider branch and stem diameters when assessing susceptibility of trees. Subsequent trials using branch inoculations showed significant differences in F. circinatum tolerance amongst a range of pine species and hybrids of potential interest to forestry in South Africa. Significant differences in susceptibility were also found among clones of two P. radiata families. The most tolerant trees were P. elliottii × caribaea and P. patula × oocarpa hybrids, while the most susceptible species were P. patula, P. greggii and hybrids of these two. This is the first trial considering the susceptibility of Pinus hybrids, Pinus clones and some P. patula provenances, and the results indicate excellent potential for breeding for tolerance to pitch canker in South Africa. Application The accurate selection of disease tolerant planting stock for the South African forestry industry is crucially important for the continued sustainability of this important industry. The work described here provides valuable information on an artificial inoculation technique that will assist the industry in screening trees for tolerance to the pitch canker fungus, F. circinatum. It also provides some indication of the relative susceptibility of a number of Pinus spp., hybrids and families currently being evaluated in the country.     

Biological performance of a formulation containing water-dispersible copper naphthenate and sodium fluoride against decay fungi

ABSTRACT

Two formulations of wood preservative one containing water-dispersible copper naphthenate (CuN) alone and in combination with sodium fluoride (NaF) were used to treat southern pine sapwood blocks to determine the effect of the addition of sodium fluoride in the QNS on the protection against wood decay fungi using laboratory soil block tests following AWPA (American Wood protection Association) standard E10-16 [American Wood Protection Association AWPA-E10. (2016 American Wood Protection Association. (2016) Standard E10-16 Laboratory Method for Evaluating the Decay Resistance of Wood-Based Materials Against Pure Basidiomycete Cultures: Soil/Block Test. [Google Scholar]) Laboratory Method for Evaluating the Decay Resistance of Wood-based Materials Against Pure Basidiomycete Cultures: Soil/Block Test]. The standard consists in exposing treated blocks to pure monoculture of white rot (Irpex lacteus (FP-105915) and Trametes versicolor (R-105)) and brown rot fungi (Gloeophyllum trabeum (Madison 617) and Postia placenta (Madison 698) during a specific period. The weight loss (WL) in percentage of treated blocks was used as an indicator of the biological performance of treated blocks against basidiomycetes at specific retentions. Minimum WL was obtained with blocks treated with the formulation containing mixture of QNS and sodium fluoride with the retention of 0.29?kg/m³ Cu and 0.51?kg/m³ of fluorine in treated blocks. A copper retention of 1.65?kg/m³ from blocks treated with formulations containing only QNS was needed to obtain similar WL to blocks containing blocks Cu++ and F? (fluorine). The lower Cu retention is attributed to a combination of the presence of the fluorine with some toxic activities against bacteria and decay and the interaction of anions fluorine and ionic Cu (II) in the aqueous treating solutions to form more soluble biological toxic hydrate of copper fluoride ((H₂O Cu (II) F2) in treated blocks compared to copper complexes less biological available in water-dispersible CuN-treated bocks.     

不同药剂处理毛竹的室内耐腐性

选择ACQ、铜唑、CCA、有机酸四类13种防腐剂对毛竹材进行处理,研究竹材的室内耐腐性能.结果表明:随着吸药量的增加,药剂对腐朽菌的抑制效力明显增加.ACQ防腐剂中,综合抗菌性能依次为ACQ-B、ACQ-D,ACQ-C对白腐菌的毒性最差,失重率约6%;铜唑类防腐剂对白腐菌的抗菌性最好的是CuAz-1,最差的是CuAz-2;对褐腐菌的抗菌性相差不大.通过对比,ACQ和铜唑类防腐剂的抗菌性与CCA相当,明显优于有机酸类防腐剂.     

Nursery soil cover influences germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai seeds

We examined the influence of nursery soil cover on germination of Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai. Seeds were sown under seeding bed conditions: (1) nursery soil (andosol) without soil cover, (2) Kanuma pumice without soil cover, (3) nursery soil with nursery soil cover, and (4) nursery soil with sterilized sand cover. Germination percentages were compared between these conditions. The germination percentage (8.8%) at 10 weeks after sowing under condition 3 was significantly lower than under conditions 1, 2, and 4 (56.8%, 52.0%, and 47.2%, respectively). Of the nongerminated seeds under condition 3, 75.0% were decayed and several fungi were isolated from decayed seeds. An inoculation test of isolated fungi Cylindrocarpon tenue, Cylindrocarpon sp., Fusarium oxysporum, and Botrytis sp. to seeds showed that these fungi caused seed decay. Our results indicated that nursery soil cover may not be suitable for T. dolabrata var. hondai seeds sown in nursery soil because of seed decay by pathogens.     

Decay Detection of Ancient Wood Rafters in Tibet by Stress Wave Testing Method

Visual classification and stress wave non-destructive testing technology were adopted to evaluate the decay status of ancient Populus wood members （rafters） replaced from the Potala Palace. The decay status of wood members was evaluated by stress wave testing and visual observation. For most of the ancient wood members, the evaluation results by two methods were consistent with each other. Also stress wave testing techniques can find the internal wood member decay to eliminate the hidden hazard for ancient wood members, and offer relatively accurate quantitative information for the safety status of ancient wood members. Thus during the maintaining for ancient architectures, visual observation combined with stress wave testing techniques is a good way to evaluate the degradation of ancient wood members.