Effect of Organic and Chemical Fertilizer on Soil Characteristics and Essential Oil Yield in Dragonhead

We conducted field experiments in two locations to investigation of organic and chemical fertilizer on soil characteristics and essential oil yield in dragonhead. Results showed that the inoculation of bacteria with the seeds in location 1 and also the inoculation of bacteria with the seeds of G₁ genotype in location 2 than G₂ genotype increased the total soil nitrogen content. The application of azocompost and its inoculation with urea's chemical fertilizer comparing to chemical control, it increase the soil carbon content. Results indicated that by increasing azocompost content with a linear procedure bulk density increased. Results showed that application of 100% azocompost treatment had the highest electrical conductivity in the soil. According to the results, the main effect of genotype and fertilizer regime and also two-way interaction (bacteria × fertilizer) had significant relationship with essential oil yield.     

Induction of superoxide dismutase,malate dehydrogenase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase during enhancing resistance of common bean against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli by exogenous salicylic acid

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Bacterial blight of common bean caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli (Xap) is one of the most devastating diseases and causes serious yield...     

Investigating the CYP2B6 rs3745274 and rs3211371 Polymorphisms in Methadone-Responder and Non-Responder Addicts in Iran

Background:Methadone therapy is a major protocol in opioid addiction cases in many health care systems. Population-based studies have shown that in addicted people, the genetic profile affects their response to methadone therapy. Therefore, this study designed to examine the frequency of two SNPs of the CYP2B6 gene (rs3745274 and rs3211371) in addicted cases in two methadone-responders and methadone non-responders groups. Methods:A total of 199 opioid-addicted individuals and 117 unaffected control subjects were genotyped for rs3745274 and rs3211371 polymorphisms of the CYP2B6 gene using the tetra-primer ARMS-PCR. Results:Results of this study revealed the significant association of rs3745274 GG (p < 0.001; OR = 0.027; 95% CI = 0.14-0.49) and GT (p < 0.001; OR = 4.04; 95% CI = 2.26-7.21) genotypes with the risk of addiction in methadone-responders. Also, a significant association between rs3745274 GG (p < 0.001; OR = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.15-0.51) and GT (p < 0.001; OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 2.8-5.28) genotypes and addiction relapse was found in methadone non-responders. Conclusion:Based on our findings, we can conclude that rs3745274 variant of CYP2B6 gene could serve as a potential biomarker, to evaluate the prognosis of addicted people fate under treatment with methadone. Key Words: Addiction, Biomarker, Methadone, Single-nucleotide polymorphism     

Soil application of entomopathogenic nematodes suppresses the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica in cucumber

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cultivation in commercial greenhouses occupies an important section of vegetable production in Iran. Root-knot nematode...     

Resting Egg Production and Fatty Acid Enhancement in the Waterflea,Ceriodaphnia quadrangula,by Using Combination of Light Regime and Food

Combined effects of different light regimes, 6L:6D and 12L:12D (hours light : hours dark, L:D) and algal foods of Scenedesmus quadricauda (S) and Chlorella vulgaris (C) on ephippia production and fatty acid (FA) profile of Ceriodaphnia quadrangula were investigated. The highest resting egg production, density, and specific growth rate were obtained with 6L:6D+S; followed by 12L:12D+S treatment. The C16:0 varied from 16.2 to 22.16 mg/g dry weight (d.w.); C18:1n?9 from 11.03 to 14.94 mg/g d.w; C18:2n?6 from 9.79 to 20.24 mg/g d.w; and C18:3n?3 from 6.98 to 16.02 mg/g d.w. The amounts of C20:4n?6 (4.36 mg/g d.w) and C20:5n?3 (3.35 mg/g d.w) at 6L:6D+S were highest compared to other treatments. The maximum saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were obtained at 6L:6D+C while maximum polyunsaturated fatty acids observed at 6L:6D+S and 12L:12D+C. The resting egg production and FAs profile could be improved when the frequency of changes from light to dark were increased. Our findings also indicate a significant increase in the quantity of C18:3n?3 in C. quadrangula populations during resting egg formation, hence, implying that manipulation of light regime and algal food can improve performance of C. quadrangula as a live food in aquaculture industries, especially for larval feeding.     

Pathogenicity and molecular phylogenetic analysis reveal a distinct position of the banana fingertip rot pathogen among the Burkholderia cenocepacia genomovars

Banana (Musa spp.) is one of the most widely cultivated subtropical fruits around the globe. Banana cultivation has been extensively increased in southeastern Iran over the last two decades. Recently, banana fruits possessing rotten and blackened fingertip symptoms were observed in Sistan-Baluchestan, Iran. Isolation and characterization of the causal agent showed that the pathogen belongs to the multifaceted bacterial species Burkholderia cenocepacia. Pathogenicity tests and host range assays showed that the strains were pathogenic on banana, as well as carrot, onion and potato. All the strains were resistant to 50 mg L⁻¹ rifampicin and 200 mg L⁻¹ copper sulphate. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and recA gene sequences showed that the strains belong to two different genomovars of B. cenocepacia (III-A and III-B), which also include environmental and cystic fibrosis associated strains of the species. The results obtained from recA phylogeny were confirmed using multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), although MLSA showed that the banana strains were clustered as a novel phylogroup among the members of both genomovars. Banana-pathogenic B. cenocepacia strains isolated in Iran were different from the strains isolated in Taiwan, as the ‘B. cepacia epidemic strain marker’ reported in the Taiwanese strains was absent from Iranian strains. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first MLSA-based study on the banana-pathogenic strains of B. cenocepacia. However, further in-depth molecular studies are needed to decipher the relationships between the banana fingertip rot pathogen and the clinical strains of B. cenocepacia.     

The effect of nitrate and plant size on nitrate uptake and in vitro nitrate reductase activity in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. Selva)

Nitrogen plays a major role in the growth and yield of strawberry. For optimizing nitrogen fertilizer application, it is necessary to understand the response of strawberry to nitrogen supply. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of nitrate supply and plant size on strawberry nitrate uptake and nitrate reductase activity (NRA). Strawberry plants cv. Selva were grown under growth chamber conditions in nutrient solutions containing 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.7 or 4 mM nitrate. Cumulative nitrate uptake increased with the increase in nitrate supply. Increasing nitrate concentrations from 0 to 0.25 mM decreased leaf NRA; however, further increases to 4 mM nitrate restored NRA to activities observed at 0 mM nitrate. The activity of NADH- and NADPH-dependent NR was similar at every external nitrate concentration. Activity of NR was greater in the smallest plants and decreased as plant size increased. However, increasing external nitrate concentration increased nitrate uptake, but had not the same effect on nitrate reductase activity, showing that NRA and nitrate uptake are not necessarily correlated.     

Effect of livestock grazing and human uses on herbaceous species diversity in oriental beech （Fagus orientalis Lipsky） forests,Guilan, Masal,northern Iran

Plant diversity plays key ecological roles in forest ecosystems, including influencing succession, resilience and nutrient cycling. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of livestock grazing and human uses on herbaceous species diversity. We surveyed 50 ha of protected area and 50 ha of unprotected area to evaluate herbaceous species diversity in oriental beech （Fagus orientalis Lipsky） forests in northern Iran. We calculated and compared three indices each of diversity and evenness, and species richness between the two areas. Herbaceous cover was higher in the unprotected area while leaf litter depth and tree canopy cover were higher in the protected area. The diversity indices, H （Shan- non-Wiener index ）, N~ （McArthur index）, N2 （Hill＇s index）, EQ （Modified Nee index）, E,ar （Smith-Wilson index）, E5 （modified index of Hill） and R=S （species richness） and species richness R=S were greater in the protected area than in the unprotected area, suggesting that protection from grazing results in increased numbers of plants and species. The effect of land protection on plant diversity was more pronounced for evenness than for species richness and the positive correlation between diversity and evenness indices was higher than that between diversity and richness.