Gljive povezane s bolestima gljivičnog raka na maslini u Istri (Hrvatska)

A survey in olive orchards in Istria (Croatia) was carried out from 2016 to 2018 to investigate pathogens potentially associated with olive decline and dieback. In nine orchards, canker-like symptoms were recorded on olive trunks and branches. Six fungal species were isolated from cankers: Geosmithia sp., Diaporthe sp., Diatrype stigma, Diplodia seriata, Neofusicoccum parvum, and Pseudophaeomoniella oleae. Pathogenicity tests were conducted in a greenhouse, on branches of 4-year-old local cultivar ‘Buza’. Eight months after branch inoculation, D. seriata showed to be the most aggressive, causing an average of 67 mm long lesion. N. parvum caused 31 mm long lesion, while Diaporthe sp. showed only weak aggressiveness, causing 3 mm long lesion. Diatrype stigma, P. oleae and Geosmithia sp. did not cause any symptoms on inoculated plants. This is the first report of Neofusicoccum parvum and Diaporthe sp. as pathogens on olive in Istria (Croatia).Terensko istraživanje maslinika u Istri (Hrvatska), provedeno je od 2016. do 2018. godine s ciljem utvrđivanja potencijalnih patogena povezanih s odumiranjem i sušenjem maslina. Šest vrsta gljiva izolirano je s drvenastih dijelova masline sa simptomima gljivičnog raka: Geosmithia sp., Diaporthe sp., Diatrype stigma, Diplodia seriata, Neofusicoccum parvum i Pseudophaeomoniella oleae. Test patogenosti proveden je u plasteniku, na granama 4-godišnjih sadnica maslina autohtone sorte Buža. Osam mjeseci nakon inokulacije, D. seriata pokazala se kao najagresivnija vrsta uzrokujući lezije duljine 67 mm, N. parvum je uzrokovao lezije duljine 31 mm, a Diaporthe sp. pokazao se kao najslabiji patogen, uzrokujući lezije duljine 3 mm. Vrste D. stigma, P. oleae i Geosmithia sp. nisu uzrokovale simptome na inokuliranim maslinama. Prema našim spoznajama, ovo je prvi nalaz vrsta Neofusicoccum parvum i Diaporthe sp. kao patogena masline u Istri (Hrvatska)

Morphological characteristics of olive variety Rosinjola in Istria

Maslinarstvo u Istri ima višestoljetnu tradiciju. Mnogi arheološki nalazi upućuju na zaključak da su se masline uzgajale u Istri i prije dolaska Rimljana. Agroekološki uvjeti u Istri predstavljaju rubno sjeveroistočno područje rasprostranjenosti masline, i kao takav predstavlja specifičan areal uzgoja tipičnih sorti maslina. U Istri ima oko tridesetak sorata maslina, a donešene su ovamo u više navrata, neke prije nekoliko tisuća godina, a druge pred nekoliko stotina godina. U našem je istraživanju bilo uključeno 20 uzoraka stabala masline istarske sorte Rosinjola na nekoliko lokacija na području Rovinja. Na osnovi istraživanja upotrebom morfoloških metoda identifikacije opisane su morfološke karakteristike listova, plodova i endokarpa po metodologiji za primarnu karakterizaciju sorata masline prema IOC-u.Olive growing in Istria has a several century long tradition. Many archeological findings refer to conclusion that the olives were cultivated on Istrian territory before the arrival of Romans. Agroecological conditions in Istria represent the northeast edge distribution of olive, and like this it represents a specific cultivation areal of typical olive\u27s varieties. In Istria there are about thirty olive\u27s varieties which have been brought here in more occasions, some several thousand years ago, others several hundred years ago. Our survey included 20 samples of olive\u27s tree of Istrian variety Rosinjola on several locations on the territory of Rovinj. Based on research which included the use of morphological methods of identification there are described the morphological characteristics of leaves, fruits and stones according to Methodology for Primary Characterisation of Olive Varieties in accordance with International Olive Council (IOC)

Pojavnost mikotoksina u hrani i piću

This paper describes the mycotoxins produced by fungi from the genera Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps and other types of molds, their characteristics and importance. Mycotoxins are secondary fungi metabolites that serve as a defense mechanism in stressful conditions. Several hundred mycotoxins have been identified so far, and the most significant in terms of danger to human health and animals are aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, patulin, fumonisin, zearalenone and nivalenol/deoxynivalenol produced by toxigenic fungi from the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps, Stachybotris and Fusarium. Moisture and temperature are two factors that have a crucial influence on the development of the fungus and the synthesis of toxins. It is estimated that approximately 25% of agricultural crops are infected with fungi. Consequently, foods can also be contaminated with mycotoxins. By treating the stored grain with various chemicals, and in recent years, using environmentally friendly fungicides, the synthesis of mycotoxins is being prevented and the development of mycotoxicogenic fungi is being controlled. The mycotoxicosis can occur directly through the consumption of infected food, inhalation and skin contact, or indirectly through animals that eat contaminated feed. Mycotoxins have a pathological effect primarily on liver. Some mycotoxins also interfere with cellular protein synthesis, causing hypersensitivity and extreme immunodeficiency. Despite mycotoxins being resilient and remaining stable while undergoing chemical and thermal food processing, methods such as applying good hygiene and production practices from field to table can reduce their occurence.U ovom radu opisani su mikotoksini koji stvaraju gljivice iz rodova Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps i drugih vrsta plijesni; njihove karakteristike i važnost. Mikotoksini su sekundarni metaboliti gljivica koji služe kao obrambeni mehanizam u stresnim uvjetima. Do sada je identificirano više stotina mikotoksina, a najznačajniji s obzirom na opasnost za ljudsko zdravlje i životinje su aflatoksini, ohratoksin A, patulin, fumonizin, zearalenon i nivalenol/deoksinivalenol koje stvaraju toksikogene gljivice iz rodova Penicillium, Aspergillus, Claviceps, Stachybotris i Fusarium. Vlaga i temperatura dva su faktora koji imaju krucijalni utjecaj na razvoj gljive i sintezu toksina. Procjenjuje se da je oko 25% poljoprivrednih usjeva zaraženo gljivama. Posljedično tome namirnice mogu također biti kontaminirane mikotoksinima. Tretiranjem uskladištenog zrna raznim kemikalijama, a zadnjih godina primjenom ekološki prihvatljivih fungicida, onemogućuje se sinteza mikotoksina i kontrolira se razvoj mikotoksikogenih gljiva. Do pojave mikotoksikoza može doći direktno konzumacijom zaražene hrane, inhalacijom i kontaktom putem kože ili indirektno konzumacijom mesa, mliječnih proizvoda i jaja životinja koje se hrane kontaminiranom krmom. Mikotoksini patološki prije svega djeluju na jetru. Neki mikotoksini također interferiraju sa sintezom staničnih bjelančevina uzrokujući preosjetljivost i ekstremnu imunodeficijenciju. Budući da je karakteristika mikotoksina da su kemijski i termički stabilni i da podnose procese prerade hrane, ipak postoje metode pomoću kojih se njihova pojavnost može smanjiti, pogotovo primjenom dobre higijenske i proizvodne prakse od polja do stola

Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)-mimetic M40403 is protective in cell and fly models of paraquat toxicity: Implications for Parkinson disease

Parkinson disease is a debilitating and incurable neurodegenerative disorder affecting 3c1-2% of people over 65 years of age. Oxidative damage is considered to play a central role in the progression of Parkinson disease and strong evidence links chronic exposure to the pesticide paraquat with the incidence of the disease, most probably through the generation of oxidative damage. In this work, we demonstrated in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells the beneficial role of superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes against paraquat-induced toxicity, as well as the therapeutic potential of the SOD-mimetic compound M40403. Having verified the beneficial effects of superoxide dismutation in cells, we then evaluated the effects using Drosophila melanogaster as an in vivo model. Besides protecting against the oxidative damage induced by paraquat treatment, our data demonstrated that in Drosophila M40403 was able to compensate for the loss of endogenous SOD enzymes, acting both at a cytosolic and mitochondrial level. Because previous clinical trials have indicated that the M40403 molecule is well tolerated in humans, this study may have important implication for the treatment of Parkinson disease

VPS35 pathogenic mutations confer no dominant toxicity but partial loss of function in Drosophila and genetically interact with parkin.

Mutations in VPS35 (PARK17) cause autosomal dominant, late onset Parkinson's disease (PD). VPS35 forms a core component of the retromer complex that mediates the retrieval of membrane proteins from endosomes back to either the Golgi or plasma membrane. While aberrant endosomal protein sorting has been linked to several neurodegenerative diseases the mechanisms by which VPS35 mutations and retromer function contribute to PD pathogenesis are not clear. To address this we generated transgenic Drosophila that express variant forms of human VPS35 found in PD cases and the corresponding variants of the Drosophila ortholog. We did not find evidence of dominant toxicity from any variant form including the pathogenic D620N mutation, even with aging. However, assessing the ability of Vps35 variants to rescue multiple vps35 mutant phenotypes we found that the D620N mutation confers a partial loss of function. Recently, VPS35 has been linked to the formation of mitochondria derived vesicles, which mediate the degradation of mitochondrial proteins and contribute to mitochondrial quality control. This process is also promoted by two other PD-lined genes parkin (PARK2) and PINK1 (PARK6). We demonstrate here that vps35 genetically interacts with parkin but interestingly not with pink1. Strikingly, Vps35 overexpression is able to rescue several parkin mutant phenotypes. Together these findings provide in vivo evidence that the D620N mutation likely confers pathogenicity through a partial loss of function mechanism, and that this may be linked to other known pathogenic mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction

Possibilities of application of Trichoderma species in fungal disease control of olive (Olea europaea L.)

Maslina (Olea europaea L.) je važna kultura koja se uzgaja u mediteranskom dijelu Republike Hrvatske. U posljednje vrijeme gljivične bolesti maslina predstavljaju sve veći izazov za proizvođače. Kao najčešća mjera u suzbijanju primjenjuju se kemijska sredstva za zaštitu bilja. Međutim, kemijska sredstva ispoljavaju vrlo štetan utjecaj na okoliš i zdravlje ljudi i životinja i ne samo da suzbijaju štetne organizme već čine štete i po korisne organizme, što dovodi do ekološke neravnoteže. Stoga, proizvođači se sve češće okreću alternativnim metodama zaštite i primjeni bioloških sredstava za zaštitu bilja. Trichoderma vrste dokazano suzbijaju veliki broj fitopatogenih gljiva i pokazuju potencijal u suzbijanju fitopatogena masline.Olive (Olea europaea L.) is an important crop grown in the Mediterranean part of the Republic of Croatia. Recently, fungal diseases of olives are becoming an increasing challenge for producers. As the most common fungal disease control, chemical products are applied. However, chemical products have a very harmful impact on the environment and human and animal health and not only suppress pathogens but also do harm to beneficial organisms, which leads to ecological imbalances. Therefore, producers are increasingly turning to alternative methods of protection and the application of biological plant protection products. Trichoderma species have been proven to suppress a large number of phytopathogenic fungi and show potential against fungal pathogens of olives

Armillaria mellea na maslini i nove perspektive u zaštiti od truleži korijena

Gljiva Armillari amellea uzročnik je truleži korijena mnogih voćnih vrsta i vinove loze. Tijekom posljednjih nekoliko godina zabilježena je češća pojava gljive A. mellea na maslini u Hrvatskoj. Bolest uzrokuje odumiranje stabala i u pojedinim slučajevima može se smatrati ekonomski značajnom. U članku su ukratko opisani simptomi bolesti te mogućnosti zaštite masline od A. mellea otkopavanjem korijena i primjenom bioloških sredstava na osnovi Trichoderma vrsta.Basidiomycete fungus Armillaria mellea is the causal agent of root rot on many fruit species and on grapevine. Several outbreaks of A. mella on olive have been recorded in Croatia during the last few years. A. mellea causes decline and mortality of olive trees and can be regarded as economically important in particular cases.Armillaria root rot symptoms on olive and the possibility of disease management with root collar excavation or with Trichoderma‐based biological products are briefly described in the article

Axonal transport defects are a common phenotype in Drosophila models of ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons resulting in a catastrophic loss of motor function. Current therapies are severely limited owing to a poor mechanistic understanding of the pathobiology. Mutations in a large number of genes have now been linked to ALS, including SOD1, TARDBP (TDP-43), FUS and C9orf72. Functional analyses of these genes and their pathogenic mutations have provided great insights into the underlying disease mechanisms. Defective axonal transport is hypothesized to be a key factor in the selective vulnerability of motor nerves due to their extraordinary length and evidence that ALS occurs as a distal axonopathy. Axonal transport is seen as an early pathogenic event that precedes cell loss and clinical symptoms and so represents an upstream mechanism for therapeutic targeting. Studies have begun to describe the impact of a few pathogenic mutations on axonal transport but a broad survey across a range of models and cargos is warranted. Here, we assessed the axonal transport of different cargos in multiple Drosophila models of ALS. We found that axonal transport defects are common across all models tested, although they often showed a differential effect between mitochondria and vesicle cargos. Motor deficits were also common across the models and generally worsened with age, though surprisingly there was not a clear correlation between the severity of axonal transport defects and motor ability. These results further support defects in axonal transport as a common factor in models of ALS that may contribute to the pathogenic process

Botryosphaeria dieback of grapevine

Vinova loza ubraja se u najvažnije kulture koje se uzgajaju u svijetu. Napada ju veliki broj fitopatogenih gljiva, među kojima se ističu i sve aktualnije postaju vrste iz porodice Botryosphaeriaceae. Simptomi se javljaju u obliku nekrotičnih lezija unutar drva, sušenja grozdova i sušenja mladica, krakova ili čitavih čokota. Bolest se češće uočava u starijim vinogradima. Najvažnije preventivne mjere podrazumijevaju sadnju zdravog sadnog materijala i izbor pogodne lokacije za uzgoj, a najvažnije izravne mjere zaštite podrazumijevanju uklanjanje zaraženih ostataka iz vinograda i njihovo uništavanje, primjenu fungicida i premazivanje rana nakon rezidbe te primjenu bioloških pripravaka za zaštitu bilja.Grapevine is one of the most important culture grown in the world. It is attacked by a large number of phytopathogenic fungi, of which species of the family Botryosphaeriaceae pose one of the most significant threats. Symptoms occur in the form of necrotic lesions, rot of fruits and decline of branches. The disease is more often observed in older vineyards. The most important preventive measures include planting a healthy planting material and the choice of a suitable location for cultivation, and the most important protection measures include the removal of infected remains from the vineyards and their destruction, the application of fungicides, the coating of wounds after pruning, and the application of biological preparations for plant protection

DIFFERENTIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF OLIVE VARIETIES TO OLIVE KNOT DISEASE IN ISTRIA

We performed a survey on susceptibility of two olive varieties ‘Leccino’ and ‘Picholine’ to olive knot disease in the area of Poreč in the years 2008 and 2009. The incidence of disease was determined by visual inspection of disease symptoms on olives according to recommendations of International Olive Council (IOC). The meteorological data were collected during 2007 and 2008. The damage caused by the disease was evaluated and the area where symptoms appeared was quantified. A rather high frequency of olive knot symptom was determined at all locations investigated. The new infection incidence was lower in 2009 for both varieties probably due to the winter copper treatment conducted. The variety ‘Picholine’ showed higher incidence of disease