Combined use of Pinus pinaster plus and inoculation with selected ectomycorrhizal fungi as an ecotechnology to improve plant performance

Pinus pinaster is an important forest species for environmental and economic reasons. Due to its importance, tree improvement plans aimed at the selection and use of phenotypically superior trees, designated by plus trees, have been established. It is known that ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can improve tree survival and growth. Seeds obtained from P. pinaster plus trees have been used in forest nurseries. However, the effect of inoculation with ECM fungi on the performance of these plants has not been studied. We compared the performance of P. pinaster plants obtained from seeds of plus and non-plus trees to inoculation with different selected ECM fungi under conventional forest nursery conditions. In plants obtained from seeds of non-plus trees only those inoculated with Suillus bovinus + Laccaria laccata + Lactarius deterrimus had a significantly greater biomass and needles nitrogen concentration, while in plants obtained from seeds of plus trees this effect was seen not only in those receiving that same ECM inoculation, but also in those inoculated with Rhizopogon roseolus or Pisolithus tinctorius + Scleroderma citrinum. The best performance was that of plants obtained from seeds of plus trees and inoculated with R. roseolus or S. bovinus + L. laccata + L. deterrimus, with an increase in biomass of 2.2 and 2.0 times, respectively. This significant improvement was achieved without extra input of agrochemicals. The combined use of seeds obtained from plus trees and inoculation with selected ECM fungi can be an advantageous ecotechnological approach to improve nursery production of P. pinasterinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ectomycorrhizal fungi as an alternative to the use of chemical fertilisers in nursery production of Pinus pinaster

Addition of fertilisers is a common practice in nursery production of conifer seedlings. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can be an alternative to the use of chemical fertilisers in the nursery production of Pinus pinaster. A greenhouse nursery experiment was conducted by inoculating seedlings obtained from seeds of P. pinaster plus trees with a range of compatible ECM fungi: (1) Thelephora terrestris, (2) Rhizopogon vulgaris, (3) a mixture of Pisolithus tinctorius and Scleroderma citrinum, and (4) a mixture of Suillus bovinus, Laccaria laccata and Lactarius deterrimus, using forest soil as substrate. Plant development was assessed at two levels of NePeK fertiliser (0 or 600 mg/seedling). Inoculation with a mixture of mycelium from S. bovinus, L. laccata and L. deterrimus and with a mixture of spores of P. tinctorius and S. citrinum improved plant growth and nutrition, without the need of fertiliser. Results indicate that selected ECM fungi can be a beneficial biotechnological tool in nursery production of P. pinaster.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development and evaluation of a real-time quantitative PCR assay for Culicoides imicola, one the main vectors of Bluetongue (BT) and African Horse Sickness (AHS) in Africa and Europe

International audienc

Antibodies against pseudorabies virus in feral swine in southeast Brazil Anticorpos contra o vírus da doença de Aujeszky em javalis no estado de São Paulo

Serum samples collected from 358 wild boars (Sus scrofa) in breeding farms in São Paulo, southeast Brazil, from 1998 to 2001, were tested for antibodies against pseudorabies virus (PRV) by means of serum neutralization (SN) and enzyme-linked immunobsorbent assay (ELISA). Seropositive animals were detected in three of seven herds analyzed. Overall seroprevalence as assessed by SN was 30.7%, ranging from 25.2% to 100% for the herds that presented seropositive animals. Indirect ELISA detected lower seroprevalence (19.3%). Sensitivity and specificity of ELISA were equal to 57.3% and 97.6%, respectively. Agreement was equal to 85.2% (P<0.0001). These results showed that PRV infections occurred in farmed feral swine in southeast Brazil, and affect pseudorabies eradication program.<br>Soros de 358 javalis (Sus scrofa), criados em sistema de semiconfinamento em propriedades do estado de São Paulo, foram coletados entre 1998 e 2000 e testados para anticorpos contra o vírus da doença de Aujeszky (VDA), pela técnica de soroneutralização (SN) e ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA). Foram detectados animais soropositivos em três das sete propriedades analisadas. Do total de javalis testados, 30,7% apresentaram anticorpos neutralizantes contra o VDA, com variação de 25,2% a 100% nas propriedades com animais sororreagentes. O ELISA detectou menor número de sororeagentes (19,3%), sendo a sensibilidade e a especificidade 57,3% e 97,6%, respectivamente, e a correlação observada de 85,2% (P<0,0001). Os resultados mostram que a infecção pelo vírus da doença de Aujeszky ocorre em criações de javalis no estado de São Paulo, e compromete o sucesso de um futuro programa de erradicação da doença na região