Baseline susceptibility of a wild strain of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae) to DDT and pyrethroids in an endemic focus of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iran

BACKGROUND: Phelebotumus papatsi is considered to be the main vector of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis as well as sand fly fever in Iran. There are several measures for vector control, with emphasis on insecticides. The objective of this study was to determine the baseline susceptibility of this vector to the commonly used insecticides in an endemic focus of the disease in central Iran. P. papatasi collected from the field were used for susceptibility status. Its baseline susceptibility to DDT and pyrethroids was assessed on about 6866 specimens collected from Badrood rural district, Esfahan Province, Iran, during the summer of 2010. The LT₅₀ and LT₉₀ values were measured according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) test using probit analysis and regression lines. RESULTS: Results of tests against female P. papatasi revealed LT₅₀ values to DDT 4%, permethrin 0.75%, deltamethrin 0.1%, cyfluthrin 0.15% and lambdacyhalothrin 0.05% of 1104.97, 182.35, 26.79, 15.42 and 1.48 s respectively. The figures for male P. papatasi were 973.51, 59.5, 4.4, 2.65 and 1.5. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a guideline for implementation of different vector control measures. Furthermore, guidelines are needed for monitoring and evaluation of insecticide susceptibility tests against sand flies. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Genetic diversity of Iranian and some European grapes as revealed by nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite and SNP molecular markers

Genetic and chloroplast haplotype variations of 35 Iranian genotypes and 10 European grape cultivars were investigated using 9 nuclear simple sequence repeats (nSSRs), 4 chloroplast simple sequence repeats (cpSSRs) and 46 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. In total, 83 alleles were detected at nine nSSRs, giving a mean of 15.66 alleles per locus and polymorphism information content (PIC) values ≥0.75 ranged from 0.75 to 0.90. For SNP markers, PIC values varied from 0.30 to 0.39 with an average of 0.34. Analysis of molecular variance revealed 97 and 93% of partitioned genetic diversity within populations using nSSRs and SNPs markers, respectively. Un-weighted neighbour-joining (NJ) cluster analysis grouped grapes into 10 and 9 major clusters using SSR and SNP markers, respectively. Synonyms and homonyms were identified among the Iranian genotypes. Close genetic relationship among Farkhi and Bidane-Sefid genotypes may probably propose a common ancestor and mutational evolution. Most European cultivars were differentiated from Iranian genotypes, however, clustering of some Iranian genotypes with European cultivars in the same clusters suggests that clonally propagated materials have probably been exchanged from the Middle East to West or vice versa. C and D chloroplast haplotypes were the most frequent within the Iranian genotypes, while A chloroplast haplotype was exclusively observed among European cultivars.     

Effects of gamma irradiation times on some flowering characteristics and pest resistances in two almond (Prunus amygdalus L.) cultivars

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different gamma-radiation exposition times on some biological traits of two late-blooming almond cultivars of ??A200?? and ??Sahand??. Current season shoots of ??A200?? and ??Sahand?? were exposed to 36 ??C gamma-radiation for 0, 5, 10, 30 and 150 minutes. The experiment was carried out on 4-years old trees based on completely randomized design. Analysis of variance showed that buds break date, bearing type, leaf area, resistance to aphid and mite as well as Polystigma were significantly influenced by different gamma irradiation times (p < 0.05). There were significant differences between two cultivars for bearing type, leaf area, and resistance to pests (p < 0.05). 30 minute gamma irradiation was increased buds break date and in this treatment, mutated trees had very late bud break date and they were late flowering habit. Gamma irradiation treatments were changed bearing type. The highest leaf area was achieved on 150 minute gamma irradiation. Short and long time treatments had not efficiency on improving resistance to Polystigma. The highest resistance to aphid and mite were observed on 150 minute gamma irradiation. Two studied cultivars were relatively resistance to aphid (control), but mutated trees had tended to resistance to aphid. Mutated trees had medium to relatively resistance to mite. Therefore, gamma irradiation treatments can be improved high considerable resistance to mite.