Biofilm Forming Multi Drug Resistant Staphylococcus spp. Among Patients with Conjunctivitis

Biofilm forming multidrug resistant Staphylococcus spp. are major reservoirs for transmission of ophthalmic infections. They were isolated from ocular patients suffering from conjunctivitis. In this study we analyzed biofilm forming ability, antibiotic resistance profile of the Staphylococcus spp. isolated from clinical ocular patients, and their phylogenetic relationship with other community MRSA. Sixty Staphylococcus spp. strains isolated from clinical subjects were evaluated for their ability to form biofilm and express biofilm encoding ica gene. Among them 93% were slime producers and 87% were slime positive. Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis were dominant strains among the isolates obtained from ocular patients. The strains also exhibited a differential biofilm formation quantitatively. Antibiotic susceptibility of the strains tested with Penicillin G, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Methicillin, Amikacin, and Gentamicin indicated that they were resistant to more than one antibiotic. The amplicon of ica gene of strong biofilm producing S. aureus strains, obtained by polymerase chain reaction, was sequenced and their close genetic relationship with community acquired MRSA was analyzed based on phylogenetic tree. Our results indicate that they are genetically close to other community acquired MRSA

Sequential interactions of Silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2NC) with cell wall, metabolism and genetic stability of Psedomonas aeruginosa, a multiple antibiotic resistant bacterium

The study was carried out to understand the effect of silver-silica nanocomposite (Ag-SiO2NC) on the cell wall integrity, metabolism and genetic stability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a multiple drugresistant bacterium. Bacterial sensitivity towards antibiotics and Ag-SiO2NC was studied using standard disc diffusion and death rate assay, respectively. The effect of Ag-SiO2NC on cell wall integrity was monitored using SDS assay and fatty acid profile analysis while the effect on metabolism and genetic stability was assayed microscopically, using CTC viability staining and comet assay, respectively. P. aeruginosa was found to be resistant to β-lactamase, glycopeptidase, sulfonamide, quinolones, nitrofurantoin and macrolides classes of antibiotics. Complete mortality of the bacterium was achieved with 80 μgml-1 concentration of Ag-SiO2NC. The cell wall integrity reduced with increasing time and reached a plateau of 70 % in 110 min. Changes were also noticed in the proportion of fatty acids after the treatment. Inside the cytoplasm, a complete inhibition of electron transport system was achieved with 100 μgml-1 Ag-SiO2NC, followed by DNA breakage. The study thus demonstrates that Ag-SiO2NC invades the cytoplasm of the multiple drug-resistant P. aeruginosa by impinging upon the cell wall integrity and kills the cells by interfering with electron transport chain and the genetic stability

Studies on metal resistant bacteria in cochin estuary and its response towards antibiotics and silver nanoparticles

The Cochin estuary (CE), which is one of the largest wetland ecosystems, extends from Thanneermukkam bund in the south to Azhikode in the north. It functions as an effluent repository for more than 240 industries, the characteristics of which includes fertilizer, pesticide, radioactive mineral processing, chemical and allied industries, petroleum refining and heavy metal processing industries (Thyagarajan, 2004). Studies in the CE have been mostly on the spatial and temporal variations in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the estuary (Balachandran et al., 2006; Madhu et al., 2007; Menon et al., 2000; Qasim 2003;Qasim and Gopinathan 1969) . Although several monitoring programs have been initiated in the CE to understand the level of heavy metal pollution, these were restricted to trace metals distribution (Balachandran et al., 2005) or the influence of anthropogenic inputs on the benthos and phytoplankton (Madhu et al., 2007;Jayaraj, 2006). Recently, few studies were carried out on microbial ecology in the CE(Thottathil et al 2008a and b;Parvathi et al., 2009and 2011; Thomas et al., 2006;Chandran and Hatha, 2003). However, studies on metal - microbe interaction are hitherto not undertaken in this estuary. Hence, a study was undertaken at 3 sites with different level of heavy metal concentration tounderstand the abundance, diversity and mechanisms of resistance in metal resistant bacteria and its impact on the nutrient regeneration. The present work has also focused on the response of heavy metal resistant bacteria towards antibacterial agent’s antibiotics and silver nanoparticles

Characterization and Pathogenicity of Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio vulnificus from Marine environments

The genus Vibrioof the family Vibrionaceae are Gram negative, oxidasepositive, rod- or curved- rodshaped facultative anaerobes, widespread in marine and estuarine environments. Vibrio species are opportunistic human pathogens responsible for diarrhoeal disease, gastroenteritis, septicaemia and wound infections and are also pathogens of aquatic organisms, causing infections to crustaceans, bivalves and fishes. In the present study, marine environmental samples like seafood and water and sediment samples from aquafarms and mangroves were screened for the presence of Vibrio species. Of the134 isolates obtained from the various samples, 45 were segregated to the genus Vibrio on the basis of phenotypic characterization.like Gram staining, oxidase test, MoF test and salinity tolerance. Partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis was utilized for species level identification of the isolates and the strains were identified as V. cholerae(N=21), V. vulnificus(N=18), V. parahaemolyticus(N=3), V. alginolyticus (N=2) and V. azureus (N=1). The genetic relatedness and variations among the 45 Vibrio isolates were elucidated based on 16S rDNA sequences. Phenotypic characterization of the isolates was based on their response to 12 biochemical tests namely Voges-Proskauers’s (VP test), arginine dihydrolase , tolerance to 3% NaCl test, ONPG test that detects β-galactosidase activity, and tests for utilization of citrate, ornithine, mannitol, arabinose, sucrose, glucose, salicin and cellobiose. The isolates exhibited diverse biochemical patterns, some specific for the species and others indicative of their environmental source.Antibiogram for the isolates was determined subsequent to testing their susceptibility to 12 antibiotics by the disc diffusion method. Varying degrees of resistance to gentamycin (2.22%), ampicillin(62.22%), nalidixic acid (4.44%), vancomycin (86.66), cefixime (17.77%), rifampicin (20%), tetracycline (42.22%) and chloramphenicol (2.22%) was exhibited. All the isolates were susceptible to streptomycin, co-trimoxazole, trimethoprim and azithromycin. Isolates from all the three marine environments exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance, with high MAR index value. The molecular typing methods such as ERIC PCR and BOX PCR revealed intraspecies relatedness and genetic heterogeneity within the environmental isolatesof V. cholerae and V. vulnificus. The 21 strains of V. choleraewere serogroupedas non O1/ non O139 by screening for the presence O1rfb and O139 rfb marker genes by PCR. The virulence/virulence associated genes namely ctxA, ctxB, ace, VPI, hlyA, ompU, rtxA, toxR, zot, nagst, tcpA, nin and nanwere screened in V. cholerae and V. vulnificusstrains.The V. vulnificusstrains were also screened for three species specific genes viz., cps, vvhand viu. In V. cholerae strains, the virulence associated genes like VPI, hlyA, rtxA, ompU and toxR were confirmed by PCR. All the isolates, except for strain BTOS6, harbored at least one or a combination of the tested genes and V. choleraestrain BTPR5 isolated from prawn hosted the highest number of virulence associated genes. Among the V. vulnificusstrains, only 3 virulence genes, VPI, toxR and cps, were confirmed out of the 16 tested and only 7 of the isolates had these genes in one or more combinations. Strain BTPS6 from aquafarm and strain BTVE4 from mangrove samples yielded positive amplification for the three genes. The toxRgene from 9 strains of V. choleraeand 3 strains of V. vulnificus were cloned and sequenced for phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide and the amino acid sequences. Multiple sequence alignment of the nucleotide sequences and amino acid sequences of the environmental strains of V. choleraerevealed that the toxRgene in the environmental strains are 100% homologous to themselves and to the V. choleraetoxR gene sequence available in the Genbank database. The 3 strains of V. vulnificus displayed high nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity among themselves and to the sequences of V. cholerae and V. harveyi obtained from the GenBank database, but exhibited only 72% homology to the sequences of its close relative V. vulnificus. Structure prediction of the ToxR protein of Vibrio cholerae strain BTMA5 was by PHYRE2 software. The deduced amino acid sequence showed maximum resemblance with the structure of DNA-binding domain of response regulator2 from Escherichia coli k-12 Template based homology modelling in PHYRE2 successfully modelled the predicted protein and its secondary structure based on protein data bank (PDB) template c3zq7A. The pathogenicity studies were performed using the nematode Caenorhabditiselegansas a model system. The assessment of pathogenicity of environmental strain of V. choleraewas conducted with E. coli strain OP50 as the food source in control plates, environmental V. cholerae strain BTOS6, negative for all tested virulence genes, to check for the suitability of Vibrio sp. as a food source for the nematode;V. cholerae Co 366 ElTor, a clinical pathogenic strain and V. cholerae strain BTPR5 from seafood (Prawn) and positive for the tested virulence genes like VPI, hlyA, ompU,rtxA and toxR. It was found that V. cholerae strain BTOS6 could serve as a food source in place of E. coli strain OP50 but behavioral aberrations like sluggish movement and lawn avoidance and morphological abnormalities like pharyngeal and intestinal distensions and bagging were exhibited by the worms fed on V. cholerae Co 366 ElTor strain and environmental BTPR5 indicating their pathogenicity to the nematode. Assessment of pathogenicity of the environmental strains of V. vulnificus was performed with V. vulnificus strain BTPS6 which tested positive for 3 virulence genes, namely, cps, toxRand VPI, and V. vulnificus strain BTMM7 that did not possess any of the tested virulence genes. A reduction was observed in the life span of worms fed on environmental strain of V. vulnificusBTMM7 rather than on the ordinary laboratory food source, E. coli OP50. Behavioral abnormalities like sluggish movement, lawn avoidance and bagging were also observed in the worms fed with strain BTPS6, but the pharynx and the intestine were intact. The presence of multi drug resistant environmental Vibrio strainsthat constitute a major reservoir of diverse virulence genes are to be dealt with caution as they play a decisive role in pathogenicity and horizontal gene transfer in the marine environments.

Studies on arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) in the Alentejo (Portugal) using pea mutants resistant to AM fungi as a control tool for field conditions

The utilization and management of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) symbiosis may improve production and sustainability of the cropping system. For this purpose, native AM fungi (AMF) were sought and tested for their efficiency to increase plant growth by enhanced P uptake and by alleviation of drought stress. Pot experiments with safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and pea (Pisum sativum) in five soils (mostly sandy loamy Luvisols) and field experiments with peas were carried out during three years at four different sites. Host plants were grown in heated soils inoculated with AMF or the respective heat sterilized inoculum. In the case of peas, mutants resistant to AMF colonization were used as non-mycorrhizal controls. The mycorrhizal impact on yields and its components, transpiration, and P and N uptake was studied in several experiments, partly under varying P and N levels and water supply. Screening of native AMF by most probable number bioassays was not very meaningful. Soil monoliths were placed in the open to simulate field conditions. Inoculation with a native AMF mix improved grain yield, shoot and leaf growth variables as compared to control. Exposed to drought, higher soil water depletion of mycorrhizal plants resulted in a haying-off effect. The growth response to this inoculum could not be significantly reproduced in a subsequent open air pot experiment at two levels of irrigation and P fertilization, however, safflower grew better at higher P and water supply by multiples. The water use efficiency concerning biomass was improved by the AMF inoculum in the two experiments. Transpiration rates were not significantly affected by AM but as a tendency were higher in non-mycorrhizal safflower. A fundamental methodological problem in mycorrhiza field research is providing an appropriate (negative) control for the experimental factor arbuscular mycorrhiza. Soil sterilization or fungicide treatment have undesirable side effects in field and greenhouse settings. Furthermore, artificial rooting, temperature and light conditions in pot experiments may interfere with the interpretation of mycorrhiza effects. Therefore, the myc- pea mutant P2 was tested as a non-mycorrhizal control in a bioassay to evaluate AMF under field conditions in comparison to the symbiotic isogenetic wild type of var. FRISSON as a new integrative approach. However, mutant P2 is also of nod- phenotype and therefore unable to fix N2. A 3-factorial experiment was carried out in a climate chamber at high NPK fertilization to examine the two isolines under non-symbiotic and symbiotic conditions. P2 achieved the same (or higher) biomass as wild type both under good and poor water supply. However, inoculation with the AMF Glomus manihot did not improve plant growth. Differences of grain and straw yields in field trials were large (up to 80 per cent) between those isogenetic pea lines mainly due to higher P uptake under P and water limited conditions. The lacking N2 fixation in mutants was compensated for by high mineral N supply as indicated by the high N status of the pea mutant plants. This finding was corroborated by the results of a major field experiment at three sites with two levels of N fertilization. The higher N rate did not affect grain or straw yields of the non-fixing mutants. Very efficient AMF were detected in a Ferric Luvisol on pasture land as revealed by yield levels of the evaluation crop and by functional vital staining of highly colonized roots. Generally, levels of grain yield were low, at between 40 and 980 kg ha-1. An additional pot trial was carried out to elucidate the strong mycorrhizal effect in the Ferric Luvisol. A triplication of the plant equivalent field P fertilization was necessary to compensate for the mycorrhizal benefit which was with five times higher grain yield very similar to that found in the field experiment. However, the yield differences between the two isolines were not always plausible as the evaluation variable because they were also found in (small) field test trials with apparently sufficient P and N supply and in a soil of almost no AMF potential. This similarly occurred for pea lines of var. SPARKLE and its non-fixing mycorrhizal (E135) and non-symbiotic (R25) isomutants, which were tested in order to exclude experimentally undesirable benefits by N2 fixation. In contrast to var. FRISSON, SPARKLE was not a suitable variety for Mediterranean field conditions. This raises suspicion putative genetic defects other than symbiotic ones may be effective under field conditions, which would conflict with the concept of an appropriate control. It was concluded that AMF resistant plants may help to overcome fundamental problems of present research on arbuscular mycorrhiza, but may create new ones.

Untersuchungen zur Biofilmbildung bei dem klinischen Isolat Enterococcus faecalis 1.10

In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Biofilmbildung bei einem klinischen Isolat von Enterococcus faecalis untersucht. Der Prozess der Biofilmbildung ist in mehrere Abschnitte unterteilt und beinhaltet zu Beginn eine Anhaftung von Zellen an Oberflächen. Dieser adhäsive Schritt wird unter anderem durch Pili vermittelt. Pili bei Grampositiven Mikroorganismen sind kovalent mit der Zellwand verknüpfte Proteinstrukturen, die eine Anheftung an biotische und abiotische Oberflächen sowie den Zell-Zell-Kontakt vermitteln. Bei den Analysen dieser Doktorarbeit lag ein besonderes Interesse bei eben diesen Pili, die für Enterococcus faecalis die Namen Ebp (endocarditis and biofilm associated pili) und Bee (biofilm enhancer in enterococci) tragen. Codiert werden sie durch die entsprechenden ebp-/bee-Loci, deren Aufbau unter den Grampositiven Mikroorganismen hochkonserviert ist. Die Loci bestehen aus Pilusuntereinheiten-codierenden Genen und colokalisierten Pilus-spezifischen Sortase Genen. Während in der Regel drei verschiedene Pilusuntereinheiten vorliegen, kann die Anzahl der Sortasen zwischen einer und zwei variieren. Bei den Experimenten wurde neben einer Komplementationsstudie zu einer Bee-Pilus Defekt-Mutante (1.10.16) das Hauptaugenmerk auf die Analyse des zweiten Pilus (Ebp) gelegt, um die Pilisituation bei Isolat 1.10 im Detail darzustellen Zusätzlich sollten weitere Oberflächenassoziierte Proteinstrukturen bei Isolat 1.10 detektiert werden, die gegebenenfalls an der Biofilmbildung beteiligt sind. Weitere Versuche zur Charakterisierung des Bee-Pilus wurden im Laufe dieser Arbeit durchgeführt, blieben jedoch bisher erfolglos. Die Biofilm-/Pilus-Defekt-Mutante 1.10.16 zeigte aufgrund einer Punktmutation (Pm) in der Pilus-spezifischen Sortase 1 des bee-Locus eine geschwächte Fähigkeit zur Anheftung an abiotische Oberflächen, sowie das Fehlen der Bee2 Untereinheit im Pilus. Nach Komplementation der Mutante (1.10.16K) mit dem Wildtyp-srt1 Gen, wurde die starke Biofilmbildungsfähigkeit zurück erlangt. Die Experimente zeigten, dass der Pilus-Defekt auf die Pm im srt1 Gen zurückzuführen war und der Bee-Pilus in Stamm 1.10.16K wieder korrekt gebildet wurde. Zu sehen war dies in Rasterelektronenmikroskopischen Aufnahmen und ebenfalls im massenspektrometrischen Nachweis aller 3 Pilusuntereinheiten im Bee-Pilus charakteristischen High-Molecular-Weight Komplex (~ 250 kDa). Durch Sequenzierungen konnte gezeigt werden, dass zwei Gene des ebp-Locus (ebpR und ebpC) bei Isolat 1.10 durch die Insertion von IS-Elementen IS1062 und IS6770 inaktiviert wurden. Der proteinbiochemische Nachweis über Pilusspezifische Antikörper gegen die Untereinheiten des Ebp-Pilus verlief negativ. Zusätzlich konnte gezeigt werden, dass die mRNA der beiden inaktivierten Gene nicht gebildet wurde. Dies führte folglich zum vollständigen Verlust des Ebp-Pilus bei Isolat 1.10. Zusammen mit den Ergebnissen der Komplementation konnte somit der große Einfluss mindestens eines intakten Pilus auf die Biofilmbildung gezeigt werden. Sind beide Pili durch Insertionen bzw. Mutationen inaktiviert, kommt es zu einer deutlichen Abnahme der Biofilmbildungsstärke. Dass trotzdem noch ein Biofilm gebildet wurde, zeigt den multifaktoriellen Zusammenhang bzw. Einfluss im Biofilmbildungsprozess. Über das gezielte Markieren von Oberflächenproteinen intakter Zellen mittels der Oberflächenbiotinylierung, konnten in der SDS-PAGE Unterschiede im Bandenmuster im Vergleich zur unbehandelten Probe erkannt werden. Die massenspektrometrische Identifikation dieser Proteine erfolgte bisher nicht, jedoch sind diese vorläufigen Ergebnisse vielversprechender Natur für die Identifikation und Aufklärung der Oberflächenproteinsituation bei Isolat 1.10.

Variación del estado de portador de Staphylococcus aureus en una población de estudiantes de medicina

Para evaluar en estudiantes de medicina la variación del estado de portador de Staphylococcus aureus y su resistencia antimicrobiana, antes y después de la práctica clínica, se realizó un estudio longitudinal en una cohorte de 159 estudiantes de cuarto y noveno semestre universitario. Se tomaron muestras de las zonas periamigdalianas y/o pared posterior de orofaringe, de las fosas nasales y las manos, se cultivaron en agar sangre de cordero al 5% y se incubaron en aerobiosis a 37°C, durante 48 horas. La identificación de Staphylococcus aureus se realizó según las características macroscópicas y pruebas bioquímicas. La susceptibilidad a los antimicrobianos se evaluó mediante el método de difusión de disco, por la técnica de Kirby-Bauer, siguiendo las normas internacionales del Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), con los siguientes antimicrobianos: ciprofloxacina, vancomicina, oxacilina, cefalotina,clindamicina y rifampicina. La edad promedio de los alumnos de cuarto semestre fue 19,1±1,2 años y el género femenino fue 2/1 más frecuente que el masculino. Se analizaron la presencia de antecedentes como: infecciones, alergias, estado de fumador, otras patologías no infecciosas, uso de antibióticos en los últimos tres meses y procedimientos quirúrgicos u hospitalizaciones seis meses previos a la toma de las muestras. No hubo relación significativa entre la incidencia del estado de portador y los antecedentes estudiados. Se observó un aumento significativo del 15,1%, con respecto al grupo de estudiantes de cuarto semestre, en el estado de portador de S. aureus en el grupo de estudiantes de noveno semestre, después de haber estado expuestos durante tres años al ambiente hospitalario, (p=0,001 Test exacto de Mc Nemar). De los portadores, el 16,4% presentó la bacteria en manos (p<0,001), el 13,8% en fosas nasales (p=0,0015) y el 3,2% en faringe. Por otra parte,el 35,8% de los portadores presentó persistencia, de los cuales el 25,2% fue en fosas nasales; el 4,4%, en faringe y el 3,8% en manos. En cuanto a la resistencia a los antimicrobianos, el 1,9% de las cepas aisladas de los estudiantes de cuarto semestre presentó resistencia: una a ciprofloxacina y dos a clindamicina (tres estudiantes). Por su parte, el 2,5% de las cepas aisladas de estudiantes de noveno semestre fue resistente: una a cefalotina, ciprofloxacina, oxacilina y clindamicina, una a cefalotina y oxacilina y dos a clindamicina (cuatro estudiantes). En el 1,3% del grupo estudiado se aislaron cepas de Staphylococcus aureus Resistentes a la Meticilina (MRSA, por sus siglas en inglés). Estos resultados no muestran diferencias significativas (p=1.000). 

Endocarditis infecciosa por Staphylococcus Aureus Meticilino sensible y resistente en la Fundación Cardioinfantil – Instituto de Cardiología

Introducción y objetivos: La endocarditis infecciosa (EI) es una enfermedad grave producida por diversos gérmenes que afectan las válvulas cardiacas y el tejido endomiocárdico. El objetivo fue describir las características epidemiológicas, clínicas, ecocardiográficas y microbiológicas de la endocarditis infecciosa por Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) meticilino sensible y resistente de la Fundación Cardioinfantil – Instituto de Cardiología (FCI-IC) en el periodo de tiempo 2010- 2015. Métodos: Cohorte retrospectiva de casos de EI por S. aureus en la FCIIC para el período 2010-2015. Se realizó descripción de las variables generales de la población a estudio utilizando medidas de tendencia central y dispersión. Análisis de desenlaces teniendo cuenta la concentración inhibitoria mínima de vancomicina. Resultados: En el estudio se presentaron 27 casos de EI, con una mayor proporción de pacientes de sexo masculino, con hipertensión, diabetes y hemodiálisis. La fiebre fue la manifestación más frecuente seguida de fenómenos vasculares. La válvula más comprometida fue la mitral, principalmente nativa. Discusión: La presentación clínica de los pacientes con EI por S. aureus es aguda por lo que la fiebre es la principal manifestación clínica presentada, lo anterior favorece un rápido diagnóstico clínico. De las cepas de S. aureus causante de EI no se encontró gérmenes con sensibilidad intermedia ni resistente a la vancomicina según criterios establecidos por CLSI. Se encontró mayor proporción de pacientes con un valor de CMI para vancomicina mayor a 0,5μg/ml lo cual es importante dado que podemos estar enfrentándonos a cepas hetero VISA (hVISA).

Using the R-MAPE index as a resistant measure of forecast accuracy

Resumen tomado de la publicación

Impact of chlorophenols and heavy metals on soil microbiota: their effects on activity and community composition, and resistant strains with potential for bioremetiation

Pollution by toxic compounds is one of the most relevant environmental damages to ecosystems produced by human activity and, therefore, it must be considered in environmental protection and restoration of contaminated sites. According to this purposes, the main goal of this doctoral thesis has been to analyse the impact of several chlorophenols and heavy metals on the microbial communities of two typical Mediterranean soils. The ecological risk concentrations of each pollutant, which have been determined according to respirometric activity and changes in the microbial community composition, and the factors that influence on their effective toxic concentrations (bioavailable pollutants) have been analysed in order to predict their potential impact on different soil ecosystems and provide scientific data for the regulation of the soil protection policies. Moreover, resistant microorganisms with pollutant removal capacities have been isolated from artificially contaminated soil microcosms and tested in axenic cultures, to infer their potential usefulness for bioremediation.

A Vancomicina na prática clínica : artigo de revisão

A vancomicina é um antibiótico glicopeptídico activo contra bactérias Gram-positivos. É usada ao nível hospitalar, prinicipalmente para combater infecções por Staphylococcus aureus resistentes à meticilina (SARM). QUando se administra vancomicina, são várias as situações que requerem a monitorização dos seus seus níveis séricos e o ajuste posológico das dores administradas. O presente artigo tem como objectivo rever os principais conceitos farmacodiâmicos e farmacocinéticos relacionados com este fármaco, realçando-se a importância da sua monitorização na prática clínica.

Contributions of labile and resistant organic materials to the immobilization of inorganic soil N when used in the restoration of abandoned agricultural fields

We have examined the contributions sucrose and sawdust make to the net immobilization of inorganic soil N and assimilation of both C and N into microbial biomass when they are used as part of a restoration plan to promote the establishment of indigenous vegetation on abandoned agricultural fields on the Central Hungarian Plain. Both amendments led to net N immobilization. Sucrose addition also led to mobilization of N from the soil organic N pool and its immobilization into microbial biomass, whereas sawdust addition apparently immobilized soil N into a non-biomass compartment or a biomass component that was not detected by the conventional biomass N assay (CHCl3 fumigation and extraction). This suggests that the N was either cycled through the biomass, but not immobilized within it, or that it was immobilized in a protected biomass fraction different to the fraction into which N was immobilized in response to sucrose addition.

Contributions of labile and resistant organic materials to the immobilization of inorganic soil N when used in the restoration of abandoned agricultural fields

We have examined the contributions sucrose and sawdust make to the net immobilization of inorganic soil N and assimilation of both C and N into microbial biomass when they are used as part of a restoration plan to promote the establishment of indigenous vegetation on abandoned agricultural fields on the Central Hungarian Plain. Both amendments led to net N immobilization. Sucrose addition also led to mobilization of N from the soil organic N pool and its immobilization into microbial biomass, whereas sawdust addition apparently immobilized soil N into a non-biomass compartment or a biomass component that was not detected by the conventional biomass N assay (CHCl3 fumigation and extraction). This suggests that the N was either cycled through the biomass, but not immobilized within it, or that it was immobilized in a protected biomass fraction different to the fraction into which N was immobilized in response to sucrose addition.

Differential susceptibilities of peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) to foliar insecticides on partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars

In a field experiment the effects of Sumicidin (super) 5EC (fenitrothion), Metasystox EC25 (oxydemeton-methyl) and Tamaron SL600 (methamidophos), applied at different dosages, were evaluated against peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and its parasitoid Aphidius matricariae Haliday on Cardinal and Desiree (respectively partially resistant and susceptible potato cultivars to M. persicae). Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found about 30% more effective in reducing aphid populations than the other insecticides tested. The highest doses of each insecticide caused maximum aphid mortality; in general aphid mortality appeared dose dependent. Almost all the higher and lower doses of the tested insecticides were about 19% more effective on Cardinal than on Desiree. The most significant result was the synergistic interaction at the lower doses with plant resistance, so that the same level of control was recorded with second highest dose on Cardinal as with the highest dose on Desiree. Also the same control level was achieved at the lowest dosage rate on Cardinal compared with the next higher dose on the Desiree. Sumicidin (super) 5EC was found least toxic to the parasitoid, A. matricariae in terms of percent parasitism, emergence of parasitoids and number of mature eggs in the emerging female parasitoids; increase of about 22, 67 and 47% respectively were found in parasitoid performance with Tamaron SL600 which was found comparatively highly toxic. The highest doses of all insecticides were found clearly toxic to the parasitoid. In general, effects on the parasitoid were dose dependent. Maximum yield was obtained from the second highest dose of Sumicidin (super) 5EC.

Selective toxicity of different granular insecticides to the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) and its parasitoid, Aphidius matricariae (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) in two differentially resistant potato cultivars

Field studies were conducted in Pakistan to examine the effects and the interaction of two differentially resistant potato cultivars i.e. Cardinal and Desiree (one partially resistant and one susceptible to Myzus persicae (Sulzer), respectively) with different dosage rates of granular insecticides, at different time intervals after application in relation to percent kill of M. persicae and effects on the parasitoid Aphidius matricariae Haliday (i.e. the third trophic level) within the aphid mummies, percent parasitism and Thimet 10G (phorate) was found about 30% more effective in reducing aphid population than the Furadan 3G (carbofuran). The highest doses of each insecticide caused maximum aphid mortality, in general aphid mortality appeared dose dependent. Mostly all the higher and lower doses of the tested insecticides were about 10% more effective on Cardinal than on Desiree. The most significant result was the synergistic interaction at the lower doses with plant resistance, so that the same level of control was recorded with the second highest dose on Cardinal as with the highest dose on Desiree. Also the same level of control was observed at the lowest dose on Cardinal as with the second last lowest dose on Desiree. Furadan 3G was found least toxic to the A. matricariae in terms of percent parasitism, emergence of parasitoids and number of mature eggs in the emerging females. Furadan 3G gave 13, 15 and 6% higher figures, respectively from the parasitoid characteristics than Thimet 10G. The highest doses of both insecticides were clearly toxic to the parasitoid. In general, the effects on the parasitoid were dose dependent. The second highest dose of Thimet 10G, gave the maximum yield