Spread of potato virus Y in potato cultivars (Solanum tuberosum L.) with different levels of sensitivity

The aim of this work was to correlate the appearance of the symptoms, multiplication and spread of virus after mechanical inoculation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars showing different levels of susceptibility and sensitivity to Potato virus Y^NTN (PVY^NTN). The potato cultivars used were the resistant cultivar Sante and susceptible cultivars Igor, Pentland squire and Désirée. The spread of the virus PVY^NTN in infected plants was monitored using different methods: DAS-ELISA, tissue printing, immuno-serological electron microscopy and real-time PCR. In all three susceptible cultivars, the virus was detected in the inoculated leaves 4–5 days after inoculation. From there virus spread rapidly, first into the stem, then more or less simultaneously to the upper leaves and roots. Real-time PCR was shown to be very sensitive and enabled viral RNA to be detected in non-inoculated leaves of susceptible cultivar Igor earlier than other methods. Therefore, for exact studies of plant–virus interaction, a combination of methods which detect viruses on the basis of their different properties (coat protein, morphology or RNA) should be used to monitor the spread of viruses.     

Analysis of genetic diversity among Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. isolates from Euro-Asian countries

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The study assessed the genetic variability among Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. isolates originating from six different countries (Turkey,...     

St. John’s Wort Herbal Teas – Biological Potential and Chemometric Approach to Quality Control

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - St. John’s wort has been used for centuries in traditional medicine of many cultures, and nowadays it is well-known as a clinically important antidepressant...     

Effects of oil of cloves and citronellol, two commercially available repellents, against the webbing clothes mothTineola bisselliella Hum. (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)

Tineola bisselliella is a common pest on natural fabrics of economic importance. Two commercially available repellents for use against adult webbing clothes moths were tested for their efficacy in dual- and no-choice bioassays. Oil of cloves and citral in combination, as well as citronellol scented with oil of lavender showed promising repellent effects for 4 weeks when applied in small compartments of a wardrobe. Although the repellent efficacy was not 100% under the conditions tested, the usage of essential oils in combination with other infestation prevention techniques is discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Die KleidermotteTineola bisselliella Hum. ist einer der wirtschaftlich bedeutenden tierischen Wollzerstörer. Auch Pelze, Felle, Polsterhaare und Federn werden von dem weit verbreiteten Kleinschmetterling aus der Familie der Tineidae befallen. In der Praxis gilt es vor allem Kleidungsstücke, die z. B. saisonbedingt für längere Zeit ungenutzt in einem Kleiderschrank aufbewahrt werden, vor dem Befall durch die Kleidermotte zu schützen. Hierfür stehen dem Verbraucher neben den konventionellen Bekämpfungsmitteln mit den Wirkstoffen Kampfer, Naphthalin und Paradichlorbenzol sowie pyrethrum- und pyrethroidhaltige Mittel auch Präparate zur Verfügung, die auf die repellierende Wirkung von ätherischen Ölen zurückgreifen. Die abstoßende Wirkung von Nelkenöl in Kombination mit Citral und von Citronellol parfümiert mit Lavendelöl auf die Falter der Kleidermotte wurde auf vergleichbare Eigenschaften untersucht. In Wahlversuchen wurden deutliche Repellent-Wirkungen der Mottenschutz-Präparate sichtbar. Die Präparate zeigten gute Wirkungen, wenn sie zum Schutz gegen den Zuflug von Kleidermotten an wollhaltigen Stoffen in kleinen Kompartimenten eines Kleiderschrankes ausgelegt waren. Auch in Zwangsversuchen hatte dieser Befund zum Teil Bestand. Bei längeren Versuchszeiten wurden allerdings verstärkt Fraßschäden durch Larven an den Wollstoffen festgestellt. Dies ist darauf zurückzuführen, daß Mottenweibchen nicht mehr in dem Maße repelliert wurden und ihre Eier an den Stoffen ablegten.

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This article reports the results of research only. Mention of a proprietary product or pesticide does not constitute an endorsement or a recommendation for its use by the Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry or by the USDA-ARS.     

Bemerkungen über die Populationsbewegungen der Mittelmeerfruchtfliege (Ceratitis capitata Vied.) an der jugoslawischen Adriaküste

Zusammenfassung Untersuchungen über den Massenwechsel und die Biologie der MittelmeerfruchtfliegeCeratitis capitata Vied. während der letzen 5 Jahre führten zu folgenden Ergebnissen:1. Die Mittelmeerfruchtfliege, die bis 1947 in ganz Jugoslawien unbekannt war, kommt seit mindestens zehn Jahren auch an der Adriaküste vor.2. Erst im Jahre 1958 erwies sich die Fruchtfliege als Schädling verschiedener Obstarten.3. Wie aus Beobachtungen in Obstanlagen an der Adriaküste hervorgeht, befällt die Fliege in erster Linie Pfirsich, ferner auch Birne, Kaki, Feige, Apfel, Pflaume, Orange und grünen Paprika. Im Laboratorium gelang die Zucht außerdem noch an Banane, nicht aber an Tomate und Trauben.4. ObwohlC. capitata ein polyphages Insekt ist, befällt sie an einigen Stellen, wo sie regelmäßig große Häufigkeit aufweist, nur Pfirsich (Split, Debeli Rti) bzw. nur Kaki (Ankaran). In manchen Obstgärten lebt sie aber an verschiedenen Früchten (Podstrana, Stroanac). Es gibt bei der Fruchtfliege also auf Obstarten spezialisierte Populationen und solche, die an verschiedenen Obstarten vorkommen.5. Unter den in unserem Küstenland herrschenden Klimabedingungen kann die Fruchtfliege in einem Jahr 4–5 Generationen entwickeln. Die Herbstgeneration verpuppt sich Ende Oktober/Anfang November in der Erde, die Imagines verlassen bis Januar die Puppen und warten auf das Reifen der ersten, frühen Pfirsichsorten. Die gleiche Überwinterungsweise wurde auch an der Olivenfliege beobachtet.6. Mit Angelica-Öl versehene Fanggläser brachten nur zum Teil befriedigende Ergebnisse, da dieser Lockstoff nur die Männchen anzieht, aber auch nur in der Zeit, in der die Fliegen überhaupt selten sind. Im Spätsommer und Herbst wirkt ein aus Kleie und Biammonphosphat bereiteter Köder auf beide Geschlechter stark anlockend.     

Integrated research in archaeology using soil micromorphology and palynology

Archaeologists often encounter problems in interpreting the genesis of layers and the context in which specific materials occur in excavations. Field visits of geologists, soil scientists or biologists can solve a number of questions, but often, problems remain that only can be studied by microscopic research as, for example, soil micromorphology and palynology. In the past, the employment of these two disciplines, one in earth science and one in biology, generally occurred independently of each other, also in interdisciplinary research and contract research. Consequently, results could not always be correlated, permitting only a restricted integration of data. It was realised that soils, as archives, contain much more information than generally utilised. A skillful employment and balancing of both specialties create a real integrated approach that offers a substantially improved interpretation potential without hardly additional efforts and costs. The results of 7 years of experience were very stimulating and presented here.In this article, the essence of soil micromorphology and palynology applied to archaeology is briefly outlined and illustrated by selected examples of the different research themes covered, showing the possibilities and results of integrated research. Both specialties generate essential information that, when combined and integrated properly, lead to improved understanding of the landscape genesis and human activities in the past. To be able to employ the full interpretive potential of this integrated approach, the research procedures followed by both specialties had to be compared. The key requirements for optimal integration of each other's databases comprised a combined effort to compare the pros and cons during the first four steps of the research procedure: defining research questions, field survey, selection of sampling locations and sampling. This approach enabled optimal correlation of the individual results, made cross-checking and references possible and led to higher levels of interpretation that would not have been possible otherwise. The integrated research elucidated lacunae in the other's discipline, resulting in a distinctly more complete reconstruction of paleoenvironments and past land uses, important research themes of archaeologists for the specialties concerned.     

Der Einfluß von Dieselkraftstoff auf die Aggregatstabilität,den Plastizitätsindex und das Scherverhalten unterschiedlicher Bodenmaterialien

The effect of Diesel fuel on stability of aggregates, plasticity index and shear strength of two soil materials The influence of Diesel fuel contamination on mechanical properties of soil are investigated with regard to the retreatment of materials after a cleaning process. Following aspects are examined in laboratory tests: waterstability of aggregates, plasticity index and shear strength parameter. The used soil materials are mixed samples of a Luvisol (=Bt) and a tidal influenced alluvial clay sediment of a Gley (=Klei). The aggregate stability of Bt material is rising at increasing Diesel fuel contaminations due to a hydrophob effect on the surfaces of the aggregates. This influence cannot be shown for clay material. On the other hand the plasticity index shows a decrease for low Diesel fuel contaminations, because the Diesel fuel acts directly to the particle surfaces. At increasing contaminations these effects are overlayed by increasing viscosity and shear strength of water and Diesel fuel phases or emulsions. The increase in stability of aggregates is not evident in a shear box test. The Diesel fuel shows no influence to angle of internal friction for both investigated materials. On the other hand there is an effect to the cohesion. This phenomenon could be explicated with above mentioned increase in cohesion due to an increase in shear strength and viscosity of a two phase system.     

Mortality,progeny production and preference of Sitophilus zeamais adults to wheat from integrated and alternative production systems

The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of the production systems of wheat from different production systems on the mortality, progeny production and preference of Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). The factors tested were production system (integrated [INT], organic [ORG], biodynamic [BD] and control), which differed in plant protection and fertiliser procedures during plant growth and development; exposure interval (7, 14 and 21 d); relative humidity (r.h.) (55% and 75%) and temperature (20°C, 25°C and 30°C). Mortality after 7 d increased with the temperature increase and decreased with the increase in r.h. in most of the tested combinations. The mortality of weevils was higher in ORG compared to INT-produced wheat after 7 d. Progeny production was recorded 56 d after removal of parental adults and was higher at 75% r.h. in comparison to 55% r.h. At 55% r.h. and 20°C, progeny was 60.8% higher when S. zeamais were exposed to ORG in comparison to INT-produced wheat. Wheat from different production systems influenced mortality rates which were higher in alternative compared to INT production systems under optimal conditions for wheat storage (low temperature and r.h.). The reverse was recorded for temperature and r.h. increase. Progeny was not affected by wheat from various production systems. Significantly more S. zeamais adults were found in traps containing wheat from BD and control in comparison to INT. An understanding of the agricultural processes, biotic and abiotic factors which alter the post-harvest response of storage pests could be useful for the development of efficient post-harvest strategies for ORG and BD farms and the processing industry.     

Prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in poultry meat and raw milk using PCR, conventional cultural methods and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The identification of thermotolerant campylobacters in official food control in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg has been traditionally performed using the cultural procedure as described in the ISO-Norm 10272:1995. Analysis thus took 5-6 days to complete. Additionally diagnostic problems caused by the accompanying flora as well as the resistance to nalidixic acid occured. Within the scope of this study these problems could be solved by introducing a filtration step for the reduction of the accompanying flora and by performing the indoxyl acetate-hydrolysis-test in addition to the antibiotic-resistance-test. Besides various PCR protocols for the identification of thermotolerant campylobacters from food were established as an alternative to the cultural procedure, providing reliable results within two days. Furthermore, infrared spectroscopy was tested for the identification of Campylobacter isolates. Using this technique and with the help of a suitable data base, bacterial pure cultures can be differentiated within 2 hours. Among others 356 samples of raw poultry meat were tested with the newly established procedures as well as with the classical cultural method, showing that 32% of the samples were Campylobacter spp. positive. 37% of these isolates were resistant against nalidixic acid. This indicates that the development of resistances in Campylobacter spp. in Germany follows the same trend described for other European countries.