Investigation of nickel stress induction in terms of metal accumulation and antioxidative enzyme activity in barley seedlings

Changes of the activity of antioxidative enzymes (APX, GPX) were investigated in barley roots and leaves during a one day and a one week setting of 0, 100, 500, 1000 μM nickel treatment parallel with the measurement of nickel accumulation in order to elucidate the mechanisms in terms of anitoxidative enzyme activity during the early phase of nickel exposure. We concluded that nickel also cause ROS formation in barely seedlings in the roots and also in the leaves. In the inactivation of ROS both APX and GPX play role although to different extent and for different duration. Moreover APX reacts rapidly to nickel stress, since its activity rises even after three hours of the nickel treatment

Heavy metal detoxification by organic acids in barley seedlings

Changes in the amount of metal complexing organic acids were investigated in barley leaves during 0,1, 0,5, 1mM Ni treatment parallel with the measurement of Ni accumulation. The content of five organic acids (oxaloacetate, citrate, malate, succinate and fumarate) was measured in the leaves of barley seedlings hoping to identify them as parts of nickel detoxification mechanisms. Besides a 3 fold increase of citrate and malate, the amount of oxalate and fumarate increased by 5-6 fold. It was found that oxalate and fumarate are also take part in nickel complexation mechanisms

Impact analysis of different applications of cyantraniliprole on control of horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella) larvae supported by biophoton emission

Cameraria ohridella is one of the most invasive pests of horse chestnut. Cyantraniliprole is one of the most perspectively active insecticides, which can transport within the plant in several ways, and its efficacy against this pest has not yet been tested. All three modes of application were effective against the target pest, but there was a difference in the time of action between them. However, no demonstrable difference in the speed of action was detected between the doses used. A more intense rate of acropetal translocation was confirmed compared to basipetal translocation. A trend-like effect between the applied concentration of cyantraniliprole and the photon emission intensity per unit area of plant tissue was observed in the translaminar and acropetal treatment settings. In both cases, a clear increase in photon emission was observed, indicating metabolic upregulation. Therefore, we can conclude that biophoton emission measurements can be utilized to conduct efficient pesticide translocation investigations

Study of Morphological Features in Pre-Imaginal Honey Bee Impaired by Varroa destructor by Means of Computer Tomography

The honey bee (Apis mellifera L. 1778) is an essential element in maintaining the diversity of the biosphere and food production. One of its most important parasites is Varroa destructor, Anderson and Trueman, 2000, which plays a role in the vectoring of deformed wing virus (DWV) in honey bee colonies. Our aim was to measure the potential morphometric changes in the pre-imaginal stage of A. mellifera caused by varroosis by means of computed tomography, hence supplying evidence for the presumable role that V. destructor plays as a virus vector. Based on our results, the developmental disorders in honey bees that ensued during the pre-imaginal stages were evident. The total-body length and abdomen length of parasitized specimens were shorter than those of their intact companions. In addition, the calculated quotients of the total-body/abdomen, head/thorax, and head/abdomen in parasitized samples were significantly altered upon infestation. In our view, these phenotypical disorders can also be traced to viral infection mediated by parasitism, which was confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Capitalizing on a non-destructive method, our study reveals the deformation of the honey bee due to mite parasitism and the intermediary role this pest plays in viral infection, inside the brood cell

PCR and qPCR-based applications in rumen microbiology research: a review

The rumen and its microbial ecosystem play a central role in the overall nutrition and health of ruminant animals. However, development and homeostatic state of the entire gut system is influenced by different interrelated factors. Recent developments in molecular diagnostic tools by using amplicon sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA and use of high-throughput data generated through applications of pyrosequencing is a promising approach to defining the rumen microbial genome. Several procedures such as genome-wide shotgun sequencing for metagenomic data generation to predict how the rumen microbiota works, bacterial DNA integration in order to construct or edit genomes of isolated microbes and several other „omic”-based technologies based on PCR and real-time PCR (qPCR), have elucidated the complexity of the rumen microbiota. These tools are more sensitive and precise in quantitation, identification and functional characterisation of the entire rumen microbiome. PCR/qPCR enables investigations of changes in the microbiome and microbiota with respect to age, diet, species and environmental variations thus providing new information about rumen microbial genome. In this review, we will highlight recent findings using PCR and qPCR-based procedures in investigating the complex nature of the rumen microbial population which has advanced our knowledge and understanding of the rumen microbiome

Analysis of melatonin and serotonin from cherries: a review

The proper quantification of serotonin and melatonin in different foods is indispensable to evaluate the significance of their dietary intake on blood and plasma levels in humans. This review summarizes the issues regarding the measurements of these compounds from sour cherry and sweet cherry. Sample preparation and analytical methods are discussed, mainly focusing on the liquid chromatographic determination of these compounds, with special respect to their parallel determination in one run

Analysis of the Destructive Effect of the Halyomorpha halys Saliva on Tomato by Computer Tomographical Imaging and Antioxidant Capacity Measurement

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Halyomorpha halys is a devastating agricultural pest, and digestion starts with an extra-oral phase as the injury is inflicted by injected saliva enzymes into the plant tissues. We carried out a noninvasive imaging assay assisted by computer tomography (CT) of through damaged tomatoes caused by H. halys. It was intended to support the imaging results by further laboratory analytical approaches, such as the antioxidant capacity, which have been used as a stress indicator. Our results confirmed that the noninvasive approach may provide new data for the cognition of the degree of damage induced by this important pest. The important finding is the proof of escalation of the lesions as a function of bug number and the exposure time. Volume and structure deviation in tomatoes were justified by the antioxidant activity. In summary, our method can be suitable for the qualitative inspection of tomato items. ABSTRACT: Qualitative and quantitative parameters of tomatoes are impaired by Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), which cause severe economic losses worldwide. Our aims were to assess H. halys-induced tissue damage in tomatoes via computer tomography and to confirm the results of imaging obtained by analytical methods. Our examination confirmed the intensification of the change in the inner structure of damaged tomatoes as a function of time. The tendency of this destruction triggered by bug saliva grew exponentially from the exocarp layer to the inner placenta. The destruction of the plant tissue was aggravated by an increase in the number of bugs, as it was unequivocally evinced by the shell thickness assays. The results of the assessment of the antioxidant capacity of tomato mesocarp showed a distinct decrease in the antioxidant capacity of the samples obtained from H. halys-infested tomatoes. This indicates that the ferric-reducing antioxidant power value was related to the degradation processes of the mesocarp tissue in tomato fruit caused by the watery saliva released by H. halys. The presented experimental method can be suitable for the qualitative control of the vegetable items intended for trade, which can help for the isolation of tomatoes damaged by bugs immediately after harvest