Las Vegas Is a Faithful Mormon City: Phyllis Barber’s Search for Identity through Fiction and Place

In Phyllis Barber’s memoir How I Got Cultured: A Nevada Memoir, Las Vegas exercises a pivotal role. The Mormon ideals of purity, modesty and chastity do not come to mind when thinking of Las Vegas. Barber’s literature is a literary search for identity, and identity that allows good and evil in a wide array of possibilities. Las Vegas is in that sense the perfect stage to perform her search. Furthermore, Barber’s autobiography contributes with a new different approach to Las Vegas as an iconic city and to the West as a paradigm in which American identity was formed.Resumen: En How I Got Cultured: A Nevada Memoir, Phyllis Barber utiliza Las Vegas como un complejo escenario donde los valores fomentados por la cultura Mormona chocan con aquellos de la cultura popular y secular. Barber, cuya literatura se caracteriza por ser un instrumento de confección de su identidad individual, abraza la paradoja como elemento enriquecedor de esa construcción. Al mismo tiempo, las conclusiones que se extraen del análisis de su obra son aplicables, en un enfoque más general, al papel de la cultura Mormona dentro del marco de la historia y la literatura del Oeste de los Estados Unidos.

Observations on the occurrence of Erysiphales on cucumbers in Poland

In the years 1974-79 in Skierniewice and in 12 other places <i>Erysiphe cichoracearum </i>DC (imperfect stage) was observed on cucumbers in 1979 both <i>A. cichoraceum</i> and <i>Sphaerotheca fuliginea</i> were found in Skierniewice, Zielonka and Gołębiewo. Then were distinguished in the conidial stage mainly on the basis of differences in conidial germination and the presence or absence of fibrous bodies, and in the perfect stage on the basis of the number of asci in peridia and the number of spores per ascus.

The Perfect Stage of Powdery Mildew (Erysiphe polygoni) of Beta vulgaris Found in Michigan

Powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni DC [synonym E. betae {Vanha} Weltzien]) affects several different crops of Beta vulgaris, including sugar beet, Swiss chard, and table beet. The disease has been prevalent in many sugar beet-growing areas of the United States since the first major epidemic in beet in 1974 (3). Powdery mildew in the United States was primarily associated with the asexual stage of the pathogen until the perfect stage was found, first in western states such as Idaho and Colorado (2), then in more Midwestern states such as Nebraska, and most recently in North Dakota (1). Similar to North Dakota, powdery mildew has not been a major problem in the Michigan growing area. It does appear sporadically, particularly on sugar beets that have not been sprayed to control other foliar diseases. In 2010, powdery mildew infection on sugar beet was observed in late August in a field in the Saginaw Valley of Michigan. Plants were inspected periodically for the presence of the sexual stage. In early October, sugar beet and Swiss chard plants with heavy powdery mildew infection also were observed at the Michigan State University (MSU) Horticultural Demonstration Gardens in East Lansing and on sugar beet at the MSU Plant Pathology and Botany research farms. On both the Saginaw Valley sugar beet and Swiss chard on the MSU campus, ascomata were observed on a few leaves in mid-October. No ascomata were found on sugar beet at the other two locations. The majority of ascomata were dark brown to black when located, although a few light tan ascomata were observed on the Swiss chard. Ascomata varied from 70 to 100 μm in diameter. Asci contained one to four hyaline or golden yellow ascospores similar to those described in other growing regions on sugar beet (1,2). No ascomata had been detected on powdery mildew-infected sugar beet from either the Saginaw Valley or the MSU research farms the previous two years. These results appear to indicate a spread of the ability to form the perfect stage eastward from the western United States. This may be due to movement of one mating type because E. polygoni has been reported to be heterothallic on some crops (4). The presence of the perfect stage indicates that sexual recombination could occur in E. polygoni on Beta species in Michigan, creating the potential for more rapid development of new strains that might vary in fungicide sensitivity and response to host resistance. References: (1) C. A. Bradley et al. Plant Dis. 91:470, 2007 (2) J. J. Gallian and L. E. Hanson. Plant Dis. 87:200, 2003. (3) E. G. Ruppel. Page 13 in: Compendium of Beet Disease and Insects. E. D. Whitney and J. E. Duffus, eds. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1986. (4) C. G. Smith. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 55:355, 1970.

JENIS PARASITOID TELUR HAMA Conopomorpha cramerella PADA TANAMAN KAKAO DI SULAWESI UTARA

Controllling of pestpopulationon cocoa fruitis moreeffectiveandefficientusingeggparasitoid.Parasitoidtype on cocoa fruit pestC. cramerella in North Sulawesi has not been investigated. Investigation ofparasitoid type on cocoa fruit pestC. cramerella in North Sulawesi was initiated by collecting cacao podsto observethe eggs ofCoryra cephalonicaandtrapingof itseggs. Samples of cocoa fruits were collectedthree times. Each collecting samples, the cocoa fruitswere gathered between 45-80each time.TheCoryra cephalonicaeggswere trapped between4000-600of each trapping. The result showed that only1-2eggsthat grew into theperfect stage, whereas eggs which were not grown to perfect stage were6-14eggs. The rest of the eggs were not grown.The finding indicated thatparasitoid type on cocoa fruitpestC. cramerella in North Sulawesiwas not found. Rainy season during collecting samples could causethe eggs of C. cramerellanot grown. ABSTRAKUntuk menekan populasi hama penggerek buah kakao yang lebih efektif dan efisien dapat dilakukandengan menggunakan parasitoid telur. Jenis parasitoid hama penggerek buah kakao, C. cramerella diSulawesi Utara belum diketahui. Untuk mendapatkan data parasitoid dilakukan pengambilan contohbuah untuk mengamati telur-telur C. cephalonica dan traping telur Coryra cephalonica. Lokasi penelitianadalah Desa Kumu Kabupaten Minahasa, Desa Sapa dan Pungkol Kabupaten Minahasa Selatan.Penelitian dilakukan selama tiga kali dengan mengambil contoh buah kakao 45 - 80 buah perpengambilan dan traping telur berkisar 4000 – 600 butir per peletakkan. Dari sejumlah telur yangditemukan hanya 1 – 2 butir yang berkembang menjadi sempurna, sedangkan telur yang tidakberkembang secara sempurna lebih tinggi berkisar antara 6 – 14 butir. Jumlah telur yang tidakberkembang secara sempurna cukup tinggi, hal ini merupakan salah satu faktor pembatas, sehinggabelum ditemukan parasitoid telur hama penggerek buah kakao. Selama penelitian berlangsung terjadimusim hujan, hal ini yang mungkin berpengaruh terhadap perlkembang telur C. cramerella.Pengambilan contoh pertama terdapat bekas telur-telur C. cramerella yang terparasit dan pada periodeterjadi musim kemarau. Demikian pula dengan melakukan traping telur, C. cephalonica padapertanaman kakao diketiga lokasi sebanyak 3 kali untuk setiap lokasi belum ditemukan parasitoid yangmemarasit telur C. cephalonica.

First Report of the Perfect Stage of Powdery Mildew of Sugar Beet in North Dakota Caused by Erysiphe polygoni

Powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe polygoni was widespread on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) in North Dakota during 2006. This disease is generally not prevalent in the state because of the application of fungicides, which also have efficacy against powdery mildew, for control of Cercospora leaf spot caused by Cercospora beticola. Because Cercospora leaf spot pressure was low in 2006, fewer fungicide applications were made in the state, thus allowing for more observations of powdery mildew. Leaf samples from four fields near Amenia, Minto, Prosper, and St. Thomas, ND were collected in mid-September to look for the perfect stage of E. polygoni, since this has recently been observed in Idaho, Colorado, Montana, and Nebraska (1–3). Only the leaves collected from the field near Amenia had visible immature (yellow and brown) globose ascomata; ascomata were not observed on the leaves collected in the other fields. Additional leaves were collected from the field near Amenia in early October; these leaves had immature and mature (black) globose ascomata that were 70 to 105 μm in diameter. Mature ascomata contained ovoid to elliptic asci with one to four hyaline-to-golden pigmented ascospores (20 to 25 × 12 to 20 μm). The color, shape, and size of ascomata, asci, and ascospores were similar to previously reported observations (1–4). The prevalence of the perfect stage in North Dakota is unknown, since no statewide surveys were conducted. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the perfect stage of E. polygoni on sugar beet in North Dakota. The occurrence of the perfect stage could lead to a means for overwintering in this area. Because of the means for genetic recombination, the risk of fungicide resistance and the development of races may increase. References: (1) J. J. Gallian and L. E. Hanson. Plant Dis. 87:200, 2003. (2) R. M. Harveson. Plant Dis. 88:1049, 2004. (3) B. Jacobsen et al. Plant Dis. 89:1362, 2005. (4) E. G. Ruppel. Powdery mildew. Pages 13–15 in: Compendium of Beet Diseases and Insects. E. D. Whitney and J. E. Duffus, eds. The American Phytopathological Society. St. Paul, MN, 1986.

First Record of the Perfect Stage Calonectria pauciramosa on Mastic Tree in Italy

Leaf spots, stem lesions, crown rot, and root rot, caused by heterothallic fungus Cylindrocladium pauciramosum C.L. Schoch & Crous,, on young plants in a nursery represent an important problem in many representative ornamental plant-growing areas of Italy since the disease was first reported in 1993 (2). Symptoms observed during surveys in Italy from 1993 to 2005 were attributed solely to the asexual stage, and the teleomorph (Calonectria pauciramosa C.L. Schoch & Crous) was never found. In October 2005, orange-to-red brown fungal fruiting bodies pertaining to the genus Calonectria were observed in belowground regions and at the soil line on collar and stem tissues of seedlings of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus L., Anacardiaceae) affected by damping off in two nurseries of eastern Sicily. The sexual structures were solitary or in groups, orange-to-red brown, subglobose to ovoid. On the basis of 50 microscopic observations of leaf tissues, they ranged from 180 to 280 μm in diameter and from 270 to 400 μm high. In the presence of adequate moisture, ascospores were discharged from mature perithecia in visible, viscous, and white droplets. Asci containing eight ascospores were clavate and tapering to a long thin stalk. Fusoid ascospores were hyaline and guttulate with rounded ends, slightly curved, 1-septate, not or slightly constricted at the septum, and measured 33 to 39 μm long and 6 to 8 μm wide. However, measurements show that perithecia, asci, and ascospores also fall within the range described by Schoch et al. (3). Single ascospore cultures did not produce perithecia. On the basis of these descriptions and the ability of single-ascospore cultures to mate with two Italian (DISTEF-G87 and DISTEF-G128) and two South African (STE-U 971 and STE-U 1670) selected tester strains of Cylindrocladium pauciramosum (2), the perithecia were identified as C. pauciramosa. To our knowledge, this is the first natural occurrence of the perfect stage of Cylindrocladium pauciramosum in Italy. The presence of the teleomorph is very important because it represents a second means of spread after conidia. Furthermore, the occurrence of the teleomorph also could lead to a 1:1 mating type ratio. In this case, lower percentages of hermaphrodites should be expected (1,4). References: (1) G. Polizzi et al. J. Plant Pathol. 80:262, 1998. (2) G. Polizzi and P. W. Crous. Eur. J. Plant Pathol. 105:413, 1999. (3) C. L. Schoch et al. Mycologia 91:286, 1999. (4) C. L. Schoch et al. Plant Dis. 85:941, 2001.

The parasitic ascomycete Mniaecia jungermanniae induces the formation of giant perichaetia and apogamous sporophytes in leafy liverworts

To test the hypothesis that the apothecia of Mniaecia jungermanniae (Nees ex Fr.) Boud. growing on stems of the liverwort Cephalozia bicuspidata (L.) Dumort. might be the perfect stage of an ascomycete fungus forming a symbiotic association with swollen rhizoids in a liverwort, we grew both axenically and resynthesized the association. Contrary to our expectation, Mniaecia remained extracellular, but induced, on Cephalozia , the formation of giant perichaetia containing supernumerary archegonia followed by parthenogenetic and apogamous sporophytes. This is the first report of these latter two features in liverworts. By analogy with apogamy and apospory in mosses and pteridophytes that are induced by media supplemented with organic nutrients and growth regulators, we suggest that the abnormal structures in Cephalozia resulted from substances produced by Mniaecia. Giant perichaetia and abnormal perianths were also observed on wild colonies of Cephalozia, Diplophyllum , and Scapania heavily infected with Mniaecia. Apart from local depression of perianth formation in the wild, this parasitic fungus appears to cause no long-term damage to its hosts.