Simmondsin as natural alternative fungicide in squash root rot disease

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) meal was extracted with acetone, isopropanol, boiling distilled water and methanol to obtain simmondsin. Simmondsin was tested against Squash root rot disease at four concentrations (10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/ml) using the radial mycelia growth under greenhouse and field conditions. Rhizoctonia solani (Kuhn) and Fusarium solani (Mart.) were isolated from naturally infected squash roots collected from different localities in Qalubia Governorate. Evaluation simmondsin extracts revealed that acetone was the most effective as it prevented the myceial growth of F. solani and R. solani at 40 mg/ml, followed by isopropanol, boiling water and methanol in vitro. All extracts even at concentration 10 mg/ml had little effect and failed to produce a considerable reduction in growth of the tested fungi. Squash Eskandrany seeds were treated with simmondsin extracts before sowing in artificially infested soil with F. solani and R. solani (pot experiments) or soil naturally infected (epidemic soil) by the tested pathogenic fungi (field experiments) resulted in significant reduction in both damping- off and dead plant (resulted from infection by root-rot disease) compared with untreated seeds. Also, both acetone and isopropanol extract were more efficient in reducing infection by damping-off and root-rot than boiling distilled water and methanol. While, squash seeds treated with tested simmondsin extract significantly increased fruit yield/plot compared with untreated seeds. Also, all tested simmondsin extracts significant increased plant survival.Squash eskandrany seeds were treated with simmondsin extracts before sowing in artificially infested soil with F. solani and R. solani (pot experiments) or soil naturally infected (epidemic soil) by tested pathogenic fungi (field experience) resulted insignificant reduction in both damping- off and dead plant (resulted from infection by root-rot disease) compared with untreated seeds. Also, both Acetone and Isopropanol were more efficient reducing infection by damping-off and root-rot the high concentration 40 mg/ml than Boiling water and Methanol. On the other hand, squash seeds treated with tested simmondsin extract significantly increased fruit yield/plot compared with untreated seeds. Also, all tested simmondsin extracts significant increased plant survival

Management of Post COVID 19 Mucormycosis with Osteomyelitis in The Maxilla, New Combined Consequences of The Pandemic. (Case Report).

ABSTRACT: Aim: This case report aims to demonstrate among health providers the importance of timely surgical and prosthetic management procedures of patients who suffered from the newly combined clinical entity of post COVID 19 mucormycosis and osteomyelitis of the palate. Materials and methods: Elaborate advanced diagnosis of the patients including CBCT, MRI, CT, Pathology examination, 3Ds printing reconstruction of the whole skull and digital design of reconstructive mesh that support the prosthesis were carried out. The patients undergone modified infrastructure maxillectomy and immediate prosthetic obturation of the palatal defect that was replaced later by a delayed obturator. Results: Surgical eradication of the necrotic bone and subsequent immediate obturation of the defect minimized morbidly and helped in improving the quality of life of these patients. Conclusion: Early diagnosis of this potentially fatal disease and reach-out a treatment plan immediately, is of prime importance in reducing the morbidly and mortality rate and enhance speech and eating in the two patients reported. It also decreases the psychological impact of this radical surgery

Molecular and Genetic Regulation of Sensory Quality of Climacteric Fruit

The sensory quality of fruit has become a major criterion in making the purchasing decision by consumers. Breeding programs have mainly been directed, from the post-harvest stand point, towards improving shelf-life. Chance seedlings or mutants with improved agronomic traits and/or extended shelf-life have been used for introgressing the long shelf-life character and eventually improved sensory quality traits in commercial genotypes of apple, melon or tomato. Because the plant hormone ethylene plays a central role in both storability and ripening of climacteric fruit, the generation by biotechnology of ethylene-inhibited fruit has offered a powerful tool to better understand, at the molecular and genetic level, the interrelations between storability and sensory quality. In the melon, inhibition of ethylene synthesis results is a strong inhibition of the synthesis of aroma volatiles while the accumulation of sugars is not affected or is even improved. The softening of the flesh is strongly affected but not abolished. Mid or long shelf-life melons generated by classical breeding present the same behavior. The generation of recombinant inbred lines by crossing a typical climacteric melon (Cantaloupe Charentais of the cantalupensis group) with a non climacteric melon (PI161375 of the agrestis chinensis group) allowed to demonstrate that the climacteric character is conferred by 2 duplicated loci only, which are of great importance for the regulation of storability and sensory quality. Due to the importance of aroma volatiles in sensory quality and to the strong negative correlation between aroma production and ethylene synthesis, we have developed a research program aimed at isolating genes involved in the synthesis of aroma volatiles. We will report on the recent advances in the field with special emphasis on the characterization of genes responsible for the synthesis of esters, a family of compounds crucial for the flavor of many fruit

Influence of a Hybrid MPPT Technique, SA-P&O, on PV System Performance under Partial Shading Conditions

The electricity sector has been undergoing profound transformations. In particular, the Portuguese self-consumer regime has allowed customers of the medium and low voltage electricity grid to be producers/consumers of electricity, actively contributing to greater energy efficiency. In this context, the energy that comes from the sun is not used to its maximum. In addition, photovoltaic cells have a characteristic operating curve (voltage vs. current), in which any operating point is reflected. Within this curve, there is a particular point known as the maximum power point (MPP) at which the cell supplies the maximum power output to a load. If the cell does not operate at this point, it has lower efficiency values. To harness maximum power under standard and dynamic shading conditions, there are various techniques of low complexity for capturing maximum power. We present a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm capable of dealing with the problem of partial shading. This algorithm involves modifying one of the most used algorithms within photovoltaic systems, known as P&O, using a simulated annealing (SA) algorithm. P&O is often used due to its straightforward implementation, but it is susceptible to partial shade conditions. Sampling was added to this algorithm to a better approach to the point of maximum power using the SA, and then to attain a more precise convergence with P&O. Implementing a maximum power point tracking method under partial shading was the major goal of this study

Synthesis, formulation, evaluation of insecticidal activity of chromen derivatives against cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and their mode of action under laboratory conditions

The toxicity of benzothiazole derivatives obtained from 2-cyanomethyl benzothiazole against cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis 2nd and 4th instar larvae has been documented. The main objective of this research was to formulate two previously reported chromen derivatives and test their biological activity against cotton leafworm S. littoralis 2nd and 4th instar larvae under laboratory conditions. According to the standard method, two chromen derivatives with two distinct substituents (salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde) were synthesized. Their physical and chemical properties were evaluated, and both were formulated as 10 and 9.5 percent dustable powder formulations. Both formulae were then evaluated in the laboratory on cotton leafworm S. littoralis 2nd and 4th instar larvae for mortality and developmental effect percentage. Formulation (F2) was more efficient than formulation (F3) in both cases and for both stages. Furthermore, when comparing the developmental effects on the 2nd and 4th instar larvae, the 4th instar larvae demonstrated marked tolerance. Both stages were unable to complete their life cycle. Histopathological analysis of samples from the affected stages was performed to assess the mode of action of these formulations on 4th instar larvae at their LC50 values. Experimental data showed that Formulation (F3) resulted in epidermal cells separated from the cuticular layer, necrosis, ruptured columnar cells with pyknotic nuclei, disrupted basement membrane, and weak epicuticle necrosis and separation. In comparison, formulation (F2) revealed a midgut with vacuoles, damaged columnar, muscle cell necrosis, and a ruined peritrophic matrix. Thus, the cotton leafworm S. littoralis could be combated with the newly prepared formulations (F2) and (F3)

Nearest point problem in countably normed spaces

In a countably normed space which is a linear space equipped with a countable number of pair-wise compatible norms, we prove the existence of a common nearest point (in all norms) from a point outside a nonempty subset if this subset is compact with respect to all norms. We also prove the uniqueness of that common nearest point if the completion of the space equipped with only one of its norms is uniformly convex

A reproducible protocol for regeneration and transformation in canola (Brassica napus L.)

The objective of the present study is to develop an efficient protocol for shoot and plant regeneration using five commercial canola cultivars grown under the Egyptian agricultural conditions. The regeneration efficiency from hypocotyl explants was examined. The data indicated that embryonic calli were formed within two weeks in the presence of 1 mgl-1 2,4-D. Adventitious shoots emerged from the embryonic callus in the presence of 4.5 mgl-1 BA. The cultivars showed a varied response to shoot regeneration. Regeneration frequency was high in the cultivar Sarow-4 (68%) followed by Masrri L-16 (64%) compared with the other cultivars tested. Hypocotyl explants from the cultivars Sarow-4 and Semu-249 were inoculated and co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring a binary vector pBI-121 containing the neomycin phosphotransferase-II gene (NPT-II). The resulted putative transgenic plantlets were able to grow under knanamycin containing medium. The stable integration of the NPT-II gene into the plant genomes was tested by PCR using NPT-II -specific primers. The GUS gene expression can be detected only in the transgenic plants. The reported protocol in the present study is repeatable and can be used to regenerate transgenic canola plants expressing the genes present in A. tumifaciens binary vectors.Keywords: Agrobacterium, canola, GUS assay, regeneration, fransformation, NPT II gen

Bart Syndrome with Ear Malformation

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