Ethnophytopathology and Survey of Tomato Diseases in Morogoro, Tanzania

Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (FAES): 1st Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)Purpose of Study Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important crop in the Morogoro Region of Tanzania, providing both income and nutrients to smallholder farmers. Tomato production is constrained by many diseases, but the distribution and severity of key diseases was unknown in the Morogoro Region. Better knowledge of regional tomato disease occurrence leads to improved disease management recommendations for farmers, which can ultimately reduce their reliance on chemical pesticides. To enhance knowledge of tomato diseases in the Morogoro Region, we conducted an ethnophytopathology study to ascertain local plant disease knowledge and a physical survey of tomato diseases in the region. Research Methods The disease survey was conducted in five villages in the Morogoro Region during the wet and dry tomato production seasons. In each village, ten fields were surveyed for tomato diseases. Within each field, three 2-square meter plots were surveyed for disease incidence and severity. A soil health assay was conducted to determine the incidence and severity of soilborne diseases in the region. Soil was collected in each of the disease survey fields and transported to a laboratory, where tomato seedlings (variety ‘Moneymaker’) were grown in these soils. Roots were evaluated five weeks after planting. Roots were rated for symptoms of rot and for incidence and severity of root knot nematode. The ethnophytopathology study was conducted on each farm during the disease survey. Farmers were shown cards with pictures of 20 common tomato diseases and asked to provide the names for these diseases in Kiswahili or their local language. Disease names were translated into English and classified by naming system. Farmers also identified which diseases they felt were most important during both production seasons. Findings The most common diseases during both the dry and wet seasons were early blight (Alternaria sp.), bacterial spot (Xanthomonas sp.), Septoria leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici) and viral diseases. Gray mold (Botrytis sp.) was more prevalent during the dry season, tomato yellow leaf curl virus was more prevalent during the wet season. Root knot disease, caused by species of Meloidogyne nematodes, was found in soils from 39 of 40 fields, indicating that this is a commonly occurring, key disease in the region. Farmers provided local disease names that were most often based on the appearance of disease symptoms, such as ‘yellow disease’ for leaf mold. Local disease names also described disease epidemiology, such as the name ‘fulifuli’ which describes the cloudy, drizzly weather conducive to late blight of tomato. Farmers ranked bacterial spot, root knot nematode, tomato yellow leaf curl virus and late blight as most important for both production seasons. Implications This study highlighted the most commonly occurring tomato diseases in the Morogoro Region. These findings were used to create disease identification and management cards for village farmers. These cards contain management suggestions for key diseases and were distributed to farmers in each of the disease survey villages. These materials have to potential to improve tomato disease management and reduce use of chemical pesticides. Data gathered on local names of tomato diseases will help researchers discuss these diseases and their management with farmers.A three-year embargo was granted for this item

Soilborne Diseases in Tomato High Tunnels: An Emerging Threat

Ohio vegetable producers are increasingly using high tunnels to produce high-value tomatoes as these structures allow for season extension and protection from adverse environmental conditions. The protected environment and lack of crop rotation inside these tunnels leads to the build-up of soilborne pathogens. A yield-limiting soilborne disease complex is present in Ohio high tunnels and includes corky root rot (Pyrenochaeta lycopersici), black dot root rot (Colletotrichum coccodes), Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae), and root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Soilborne diseases are often ignored until they preclude profitable tomato production as they are difficult for farmers to observe and researchers to diagnose. A survey of Ohio high tunnel soils was conducted in 2017-2018 to identify the incidence of these diseases across the state, proactively providing researchers with a better understanding of disease distribution and farmers with improved knowledge of the diseases present on their farms. Soils were collected from 68 tunnels from 34 farms in 17 Ohio counties. Pathogens were detected in soils using PCR-based assays and greenhouse bioassays. The most commonly detected pathogen was C. coccodes, present in 90% of high tunnels and 97% of farms. The next most commonly detected pathogens were P. lycopersici present in 47% of high tunnels and 50% of farms and V. dahliae, present in 46% of high tunnels and 74% of farms. Root knot nematodes were detected in 38% of high tunnels and 50% of farms. This information will aid in prioritizing disease management research and providing farmers with targeted soilborne disease management recommendations

»Mi furlanski Slovenci vemo, da je delo dikl težko, poniževalno in nagobarno za vsako žensko, zlasti mlado.« Kako so pisali o diklah v časopisu Matajur (1950–1973)

La riviste Matajur (par tancj agns i Slovens de Sclavanie a vevin dome chê riviste, che e jessì tant che orghin di stampe dai Slovens da la provincie di Udin dal 1950 al 1973) e avodà cetancj numars ae cuestion atuâl par chei timps che e tocjave lis dikle, che cussì si clamavin lis fantatis e lis feminis de Sclavanie che a levin a servizi intes citâts talianis, compagn che a fasevin bielzà tal secul XIX e daspò ancjemò vie pal secul XX. Intal contribût che al ven daûr o ilustrarìn chei scrits; inta chel istès timp o metarìn in lûs che i lôr autôrs a jerin umign e che no da râr la idee des feminis sul mistîr di servî e jere dut altri.Časopis Matajur – dolga leta edini časopis Beneških Slovencev, ki je kot Glasilo Slovencev v Videmski pokrajini izhajal med letoma 1950 in 1973 – je namenil številna besedila tedaj aktualni problematiki pojava dikl*, množičnega zaposlovanja beneških deklet in žena v gospodinjstvih italijanskih mest, ki pa so to delo opravljale že v 19. in potem tudi v 20. stoletju. V prispevku, ki je pred nami, bomo osvetlili te zapise, ob tem pa opozorili na dejstvo, da so jih pisali moški in da je bil nemalokrat pogled žensk na poklic služenja popolnoma drugačen

THE EFFECTS OF COCAINE SELF-ADMINISTRATION ON STRUCTURAL PLASTICITY OF ASTROCYTES

One of the hallmark features of cocaine use disorder is susceptibility toward relapse following cessation of use. It is thus imperative to elucidate neurobiological factors of relapse, to inform more targeted treatment approaches. Previous studies have reported decreases in expression of astrocyte-associated proteins in the nucleus accumbens core following rat cocaine self-administration and extinction training, pointing to possible glial control of relapse vulnerability. Recent results from our laboratory have further revealed remarkable decreases in morphometric features of accumbens astrocytes, as well as decreased colocalization with neuronal synaptic elements. Here I explore the regional specificity of astrocytic responsiveness to cocaine self-administration, as well as the necessity of the withdrawal for its manifestation. Results indicate that the reduced astrocytic phenotype is specific for astrocytes in nucleus accumbens and are not observed in other brain reward centers following cocaine self-administration and extinction. Further, the extinction period was necessary for the development of the atrophic phenotype, with rats undergoing self-administration only not showing morphometric impairments. To understand the subcellular nature of the atrophic phenotype, the second part of the study explored astrocyte branching complexity as well the number and density of accumbens astrocyte processes associated with two commonly utilized cocaine self-administration paradigms. To this end, novel 3-dimensional branching and Sholl analyses were employed as well as end-point and segment analyses, in order to delineate between qualitative and quantitative changes to astrocyte structure following cocaine self-administration. Results showed similar directional changes to subcellular features of astrocytes, with a more severe atrophic phenotype across the analyzed features associated with longer cocaine access and prolonged abstinence. Lastly, segment analysis revealed changes in segment number but not average length, indicating atrophic phenotype is not due to astrocyte shrinkage but rather loss of branching complexity and segments. In summary, this dissertation expands knowledge regarding structural plasticity of astrocytes following cocaine use and withdrawal, revealing specific vulnerability of nucleus accumbens astrocytes to cocaine self-administration, and a common observation of decreased interactions between astrocytes and synapses across self-administration paradigms, which is exacerbated by prolonged cocaine access and abstinence.Doctor of Philosoph

Razmislek o biografskem odtisu Edvarda Ravnikarja (1907–1993) v povezavi z Novo Gorico

L’articolo è incentrato sulla biografia di Edvard Ravnikar e sul suo lavoro relativo alla pianificazione postbellica della città di Nova Gorica. La valutazione del suo lavoro coincise con la sua disqualifica politica, pedagogica ed anche creativa.Prispevek se ukvarja z biografskimi zapisi o Edvardu Ravnikarju in njegovem delu v povezavi s povojnim načrtovanjem Nove Gorice. Ocena njegovega dela (je) sovpada(la) z njegovo politično, s tem pa tudi pedagoško in ustvarjalno diskvalifikacijo

A Simple Method for the Size Controlled Synthesis of Stable Oligomeric Clusters of Gold Nanoparticles under Ambient Conditions

Reducing dilute aqueous HAuCl4 with sodium thiocyanate (NaSCN) under alkaline conditions produces 2 to 3 nm diameter nanoparticles. Stable grape-like oligomeric clusters of these yellow nanoparticles of narrow size distribution are synthesized under ambient conditions via two methods. The delay-time method controls the number of subunits in the oligoclusters by varying the time between the addition of HAuCl4 to alkaline solution and the subsequent addition of reducing agent, NaSCN. The yellow oligoclusters produced range in size from ~3 to ~25 nm. This size range can be further extended by an add-on method utilizing hydroxylated gold chloride (Na+[Au(OH4-x)Clx]-) to auto-catalytically increase the number of subunits in the as-synthesized oligocluster nanoparticles, providing a total range of 3 nm to 70 nm. The crude oligocluster preparations display narrow size distributions and do not require further fractionation for most purposes. The oligoclusters formed can be concentrated >300 fold without aggregation and the crude reaction mixtures remain stable for weeks without further processing. Because these oligomeric clusters can be concentrated before derivatization they allow expensive derivatizing agents to be used economically. In addition, we present two models by which predictions of particle size can be made with great accuracy

Kobarid – Caporetto; ime kraja, ki je postal sinonim za katastrofalen poraz

V letu 2017 obeležujemo stoletnico bitke pri Kobaridu, odločilnega spopada zadnje, 12. soške bitke, ki se je kot čudež/poraz pri Kobaridu z mitološko močjo zapisala v spomin udeležencev spopadov in njihovih potomcev. Kakšne sledi je pustila v italijanskem jezikovnem izročilu? Kako je z dediščino soške fronte danes

Pater Stanislav Škrabec (1844–1918)

V letu 2018 obeležujemo stoletnico smrti patra Stanislava Škrabca, »največjega jezikoslovca slovenista 19. stoletja«. Bil je izjemen jezikoslovec in nabožni pisec, duhovnik, redovnik oz. frančiškan. Bil pa je tudi človek, ki je zapustil vidno, občudovanja polno sled pri tistih, ki so ga poznali. Prispevek poskuša orisati življenjsko pot tega vélikega učenjaka in neutrudnega branitelja slovenske besede