Potentiation of Resistance to Penicillium Spp. In Valencia Sweet Orange Through Use of Salicylic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate

Citrus green and blue moulds cause postharvest losses worldwide. Therefore, the potential of preharvest foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) and methyl Jasmonate (MeJ) was investigated to control infection of Penicillium spp. An aqueous solution containing different concentrations of SA (3, 6, 9 mM) or MeJ (3, 4, 5 mM) and ‘Tween 80’ (0.05%) as a surfactant were sprayed onto whole trees seven days before harvest. Among the treatments, the pre-harvest spray of SA (9 mM or MeJ 5 mM) showed good efficacy reducing colony growth, wound rotting (rotting of peel around the wound and spore mass density of Penicillium spp. when compared with control. A pre-harvest spray of SA (9 mM) reduced colony growth by 71.02% and 68.69% on fruit inoculated with P. digitatum and P. italicum, respectively. The activity of fruit softening enzymes markedly increased following fungal infection. The decay in the fruit was found to be associated with the upregulation of activities of exopolygalacturonase (exo-PG), endopolygalacturonase (endo-PG) and Endo-1,4-ß-D-glucanase (e-gase). However, in un-inoculated fruit, negligible enzyme activity was observed. Contrarily the SA-treated fruit showed less activity of exo-PG, endo-PG and e-gase enzymes. These findings clued to develop natural control of Penicillium spp through use of organic elicitors in sweet orange fruit.

IN VIVO AND IN VITRO STUDIES ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SEPTORIA LYCOPERSICI CAUSING LEAF SPOT DISEASE IN TOMATO

Septoria lycopersici responsible for Septoria leaf spot disease was observed on the leaves of tomato. Septoria lycopersici was isolated and completion of Koch’s postulates confirmed that the fungus was causal agent of the leaf spot disease. The fungus was cultured on potato dextrose agar medium. The fungus was very slow growing with 8-12 mm radial growth as recorded after 30 days of incubation. The fungus produced off white, irregular, hardened blackish mycelial growth oozing spore mass from pycnidia. Pycnidia were dark brown to black, globose to sub globose, ostiolated and thick walled. Pycnidiospores were filiform, straight with pointed to rounded ends.

Thecaphora lathyri. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

A description is provided for Thecaphora lathyri, found in dead fruits of the host plant (Lathyrus pratensis), infecting and destroying the seeds, the spore mass granular, dark chestnut brown, ± completely filling the fruit cavity; host fruits somewhat swollen in external view, but otherwise not visibly affected. Some information on its associated organisms and substrata, dispersal and transmission, habitats and conservation status is given, along with details of its geographical distribution (North America (USA (Utah)), Asia (Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan), Russia (Altai)), Europe (Finland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, UK)).

Thecaphora affinis. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

A description is provided for Thecaphora affinis, found in dead fruits of the host plant (Astragalus), infecting and destroying the seeds, the spore mass granular, dark reddish brown, ± completely filling the fruit cavity; host fruits somewhat swollen in external view, but otherwise not visibly affected. Some information on its associated organisms and substrata, dispersal and transmission, habitats and conservation status is given, along with details of its geographical distribution (North America (USA (Colorado)), Asia (China (Gansu), Kazakhstan (East Kazakhstan), Russia (Altai)) and Europe (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia (Smolensk Oblast), Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, UK)).

Thecaphora trailii. [Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria].

A description is provided for Thecaphora trailii, found developing in inflorescences of the host plant (Cirsium dissectum), not causing noticeable galling but destruction and deformation of floral parts, infected flower heads not opening, the spore mass purplish brown, granular. Some information on its associated organisms and substrata, dispersal and transmission, habitats and conservation status is given, along with details of its geographical distribution (North America (Canada (British Columbia), USA (Arizona, Colorado, Utah)), Asia (China, Mongolia, Russia (Novosibirsk Oblast, Tyumen Oblast)), Europe (Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, UK)).

Moelleriella sinensis sp. nov. (Clavicipitaceae, Ascomycota) from southeast China

Moelleriella sinensis, a fungal pathogen infecting whitefly nymphs (Hemiptera), is described and illustrated as a new species from Wu Yi Mountain in Fujian province, southeastern China. This species is characterized by producing a pale brown spore mass around whitish to pale yellow pulvinate stroma. In surveys of entomopathogenic fungal diversity, only the anamorphic state was found in collected stroma. Phylogenetic analyses using the nucleotide sequences derived from the nuclear ribosomal large subunit rRNA gene, RNA polymerase subunit 1, and translation elongation factor 1α, coupled to morphological characterization supports the placement of the isolate as a new species in a distinct lineage within Moelleriella.

The Potential of Lipolytic Filamentous Fungi Isolated from Landfill Soil as Poly-β-Hydroxybutirate (PHB) Bioplastic Degrader

The present study was investigated the potential of lipolytic fungi (molds) isolated from landfill soil in degrading Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). Screening of PHB-degrading lipolytic molds was done in two stages, such as screening of lipolytic molds which was identified by the formation of orange fluorescent halos around the colony on rhodamine B agar medium and the degradation PHB ability test was identified by the formation of clear zone around colony on PHB emulsion medium. Characterization of isolates was done based on phenotypic characters and the identification was done by numerical-phenetic analysis. Three lipolytic mold isolates that have ability in degrading PHB bioplastic i.e isolate KC1, KE1 and KE6. These molds have asexual spore form conidia, foot cell, septate hyphae, unbranched conidiophore, and spore mass located at the apex of phialid. The identification results showed that isolate KC1 is identic to Aspergillus terreus, KE1 is identic to Aspergillus niger and KE6 is identic to Aspergillus fumigatus.

Morphological stasis in the first myxomycete from the Mesozoic, and the likely role of cryptobiosis

Myxomycetes constitute a group within the Amoebozoa well known for their motile plasmodia and morphologically complex fruiting bodies. One obstacle hindering studies of myxomycete evolution is that their fossils are exceedingly rare, so evolutionary analyses of this supposedly ancient lineage of amoebozoans are restricted to extant taxa. Molecular data have significantly advanced myxomycete systematics, but the evolutionary history of individual lineages and their ecological adaptations remain unknown. Here, we report exquisitely preserved myxomycete sporocarps in amber from Myanmar, ca. 100 million years old, one of the few fossil myxomycetes, and the only definitive Mesozoic one. Six densely-arranged stalked sporocarps were engulfed in tree resin while young, with almost the entire spore mass still inside the sporotheca. All morphological features are indistinguishable from those of the modern, cosmopolitan genus Stemonitis, demonstrating that sporocarp morphology has been static since at least the mid-Cretaceous. The ability of myxomycetes to develop into dormant stages, which can last years, may account for the phenotypic stasis between living Stemonitis species and this fossil one, similar to the situation found in other organisms that have cryptobiosis. We also interpret Stemonitis morphological stasis as evidence of strong environmental selection favouring the maintenance of adaptations that promote wind dispersal.

Productivity, pathogenicity, host range, and spore mass-propagation of local strain of Mattesia sp. isolated from insect cadavers of certain stored grain pests in Egypt

Average yields of Mattesia spores (spore productivity) had varied from a minimum yield (0.17 × 107 spores) for Laemophloeus turcicus adult to a maximum yield (7.46 × 107 spores) for Plodia interpunctella larva. Comparatively, the highest increase in Mattesia spore yield, recorded from P. interpunctella larva (7.46 × 107 spores) over the lowest one, estimated for L. turcicus adult (0.17 × 107 spores), was nearly 44-fold. The increase in Mattesia spore yields that calculated from the other hosts (P. interpunctella pupa or moth; Galleria mellonella larva; Rhyzopertha dominica adult; Sitophilus zeamais), over that estimated for L. turcicus adult, was less than 10-fold (6–9-fold). Based on the weight of 1 g of the insect host infected with Mattesia sp., small stored grain insect hosts (e.g. L. turcicus, S. zeamais, and R. dominica) seemed to achieve Mattesia spore yields more than the larger ones (e.g. P. interpunctella). The increase in spore yields over that used for the inoculum, based on an average of 25 P. interpunctella larvae per bioassay container, was ca. 2 to 31-fold. These results revealed that the Indianmeal moth, P. interpunctella, could serve as a potential host for mass propagating the isolated entomopathogenic protozoan, Mattesia sp. Besides Mattesia larval mortality, survivors of Mattesia infection suffered deformities and noticeable undersized pupae or adults than the control ones. Also, many copulated moths (ca.46%) were unable to become separated after copulation until they had died. Bioassay of siftings, obtained from L. turcicus-protozoan-infected stock cultures, was carried out in order to emphasize the suppressive potent role of such protozoan entomopathogens in long-term storage. With the highest tested concentration of the studied siftings (10%), mortality responses due to Mattesia infection ranged from 13 to 68% at 14–169 days post-treatment. The corresponding figures for Adelina infection were 7–42%.

Screening of antibiotic-producing Streptomyces from marine sediments of Bangladesh

<p>Antimicrobial resistance is a rising concern in the treatment of infectious diseases and the discovery of potential antimicrobial compounds is needed to combat against it. The focus of this study was the in vitro antimicrobial activities of Streptomyces obtained from the soil samples collected from different places of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. A total of 156 isolates was obtained from thirty soil samples using two selective media namely yeast malt agar and starch casein agar. The isolates were morphologically distinct on the basis of spore mass color, reverse slide color, aerial and substrate mycelia formation and production of diffusible pigment. Among the isolates, 12 exhibited good antimicrobial activity against the tested micro-organisms. Isolates were subjected to biochemical characterization and identified as Streptomyces spp. The results suggest that the Streptomyces species could be a promising source for potential antibacterial agents.</p>