Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 6 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Study on persistence tests of miticides abamectin and fenproximate to predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)

Ahmad Nadimi¹, Karim Kamali¹*, Masoud Arbabi² and Fateme Abdoli³

¹Department of Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, College of Agriculture, Tehran, Iran.

²Department of Agricultural Research Zoology, Iranian Plant Protection Research Institute, Iran.

³Department of Biology, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

Accepted 10 January, 2018

Abstract

Economically, the most important species are the polyphagous pest two-spotted spider mite called Tetranychus urticae Koch and the predaceous phytoseiid mite called Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot which is successfully used as biological control agent in a number of agricultural ecosystems. To evaluate the toxicity of the two current miticides (abamectin and fenpyroximate) on predatory mite P. persimilis, two persistence tests were carried out under laboratory conditions and with four replicates per treatment using commercial formulations at highest recommended field concentration, half concentration and quarter concentration. The control block was treated with water. Assessments of the phsytoseiid were performed on mortality, escape of predators up to 5 days after the adult stage and reproduction of female during the first 5 days of the adult stage. Total effects (E) of the miticides were determined on the phytoseiid by combining lethal (mortality) and sub -lethal effects (fecundity). Persistence is classified by considering E suggesting that all fenpyroximate treatments and three days old residues of abamectin treatments would be the least compatible with P. persimilis but ten days old residues of abamectin treatments were favorable towards P. persimilis.

Key words: Phytoseiulus persimilis, persistence test, abamectin, fenpyroximate.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 6 (4), pp. 001-007, April, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Genetic characterization of three breeds of high royal jelly producing honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) in China

Ling Yin¹, Ting Ji¹*, Guohong Chen¹ and Wenjun Peng²

¹College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.

²Institute of Honeybee, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100094, China.

Accepted 24 November, 2017

Abstract

There are three most famous breeds of high royal jelly producing honeybee (Apis mellifera ligustica) in China. After numerous rounds of selection for royal jelly production, the royal jelly production of the three breeds is much higher than the unselected. It is important to maintain genetic diversity of breeds in selective breeding and stock management. The genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of three breeds were surveyed using 18 microsatellite markers. Using Polymorphism Information Content (PIC), mean heterozygosity (H), number of effective alleles, genetic distances, gene flow (Nm) and F-statistics, we evaluated the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation. The result showed that the number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 (AP156 and A028) to 25 (AP053). All of the three breeds showed high levels of heterozygosity. Significant genetic differentiation was found among the three breeds and the average genetic differentiation coefficient of the three breeds was 0.037.

Key words: High royal jelly producing honeybee, Apis mellifera ligustica, genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, microsatellite marker.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Tolerance of yolk sac and free swimming fry of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell 1822) to chemotherapeutic doses of formalin

Emmanuel K. Mbaru¹*, Thomas K. Mkare¹ and Joseph O. Rasowo²

¹Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 81651-80100, Mombasa, Kenya.

²Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900, Eldoret, Kenya.

Accepted 27 October, 2017

Abstract

This study reports tolerance levels and lethal concentrations of yolk sac and free swimming fry of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) to different therapeutic doses of formalin. Comparative treatments were up to 2000 ppm for 15, 30 and 60 min exposure times and up to 150 ppm for 24 h exposure time for the second experiment on lethal concentrations. In both fry stages, higher survivals were recorded at short exposure times and at lower concentrations. The LC50 value for the yolk sac and free swimming fry was 130 and 90 ppm with total mortalities at concentrations beyond 150 and 125 ppm respectively. Although other concentrations and exposure times gave best performance in terms of survival, we recommend 15 min bath dip at 500 ppm for the yolk sac fry and 15 min at 600 ppm for the free swimming fry for routine use by rural fish farmers to reduce fry mortalities.

Key words: Clarias gariepinus, formalin, free swimming fry, lethal concentration, yolk sac fry.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 6 (2), pp. 001-005, February, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Suitability of food crop wastes in the formulation of laboratory media used for the cultivation of soil fungi

Omawumi Christabel*, Eshenake Dorcas and Uzuokalu Elizabeth

Department of Plant Science and Technology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Accepted 28 February, 2016

Abstract

A major problem experienced by both developed and developing countries is the management of wastes. Thus, there is a growing interest regarding the conversion of organic wastes generated by the food processing sector and through other human endeavors into useful forms. An investigation was carried out to test the suitability of food crop wastes (yam, sweet potato, carrot and Irish potato peels) for the formulation of media for cultivating soil fungi. Four formulated media which included Yam Peel Dextrose agar (YPDA), Sweet Potato Peel Dextrose Agar (SPPDA), Carrot Peel Dextrose Agar (CPDA) and Irish Potato Peel Dextrose Agar (IPPDA) were used to determine the growth of four test fungi isolated from the soil. Mean radial growths (MRGs) of the isolates on the formulated waste media were determined and compared with that of SDA which served as the control. The test organisms were aseptically inoculated unto the four different formulated media and the control medium in triplicates. The cultures were incubated for a period of six days and the radial growth of each of the fungi was measured thereafter. Growth rates on the test media were also calculated for each fungus. The fungal isolates from this study were Aspergillus niger, Geotrichum candidum, Aspergillus flavus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. All the formulated media supported the growth of the test fungi at various degrees with Sweet Potato Peel Dextrose Agar (SPPDA) having the highest MRG of 8.10 cm, 8.10 cm and 7.40 cm for A. niger, G. candidum and S. cerevisiae respectively. The MRGs of these three fungi on SPPDA were found to be higher than their MRGs on all the other media including the control medium (SDA), while the control (SDA) yielded the highest MRG for A. flavus. Yam Peel Dextrose Agar (YPDA) yielded the lowest MRG values for all the test fungi. Seventy-five percent of the fungi demonstrated higher growth rates on SPPDA. There is promise for the use of SPPDA for the cultivation of the test soil fungi.

Key words: Food crop, wastes, fungal isolates, laboratory media, radial growth.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 6 (1), pp. 001-009, January, 2018. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The usefulness of urine reagent strips and semi-quantitative procalcitonin (PCT-Q) tests in the diagnosis of meningitis

Gamal ElBaradei¹*, Mahfouz E. A.¹, Mohamed Sharif¹, Faten Mona² and Boutros Ghali³

¹Endemic Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

²Chemical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

³Shebin El-kom Fever Hospital, Egypt.

Accepted 12 November, 2017

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis is a serious infection of the central nervous system. On the other hand, aseptic meningitis is a benign self-limited disease. Differentiating both diseases is of great importance. Earlier studies using urine reagent strips and procalcitonin (PCT) for diagnosis of meningitis had given a high sensitivity and specificity rates reaching 100%. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of two bedside diagnostic tests in the diagnosis of meningitis. These were urine reagent strips and semi-quantitative procalcitonin (PCT-Q) test. One hundred patients with clinical and laboratory data suggesting of meningitis were included in this study. Complete biological and biochemical laboratory examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and serum inflammatory markers were done. According to this work, the 100 patients were classified into 64 patients with bacterial meningitis and 36 patients with aseptic meningitis. The CSF samples were tested using urine reagent strips for protein, glucose and leukocytes; as well as for PCT-Q test to detect its ability in differentiating bacterial from viral aseptic meningitis. Positive bacterial culture is the gold standard in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis but it yielded a very low positivity rate (combined Gram stain and cultures were positive in only 4%). Although CSF protein concentration and leukocyte count and serum CRP were significantly higher in bacterial than aseptic meningitis, there was a wide area of overlapping results between the two groups. The number of reagent strip results coinciding with the laboratory results was 72%, 64% and 48% for leukocytes, protein and glucose respectively. Sensitivity rates were moderate and the degree of agreement between CSF strip and laboratory results were increased with higher grades for leukocytosis. PCT-Q had a good discriminating ability in differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis. With a cutoff value of 0.5 ng/dL, it was positive in 87% of patients with bacterial meningitis and negative in 91% of cases of viral aseptic meningitis. The use of reagent strips for the diagnosis of meningitis can be used only as a preliminary screening test till the laboratory results became available. PCT-Q test was more sensitive in differentiating bacterial from viral meningitis but it cannot be used alone for this diagnosis.

Key words: Procalcitonin, meningitis, bacterial, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), viral.

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 5 (12), pp. 001-007, December, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The role of plasmid in multidrug resistance P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from burn infections

Soleen Saeed Ahmed*, Rashid F. Hadid and Tariq Taher Seleman

Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Duhok, Kurdistan, Iraq.

Accepted 20 January, 2016

Abstract

Twenty-one isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were collected from burns hospital laboratories in Duhok City. They were identified using the API 20E system, biochemical and morphological characteristics. All isolates had multiple resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, rifampicin, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, cefotaxime, erythromycin, penicillin, neomycin, streptomycin, trimethoprim and gentamycin, and were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of two curing agents, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and ethidium bromide, used in this study were determined and the results indicated that the curing percentage and efficiency of each curing agent was determined. From treatment with 700 µg/ml ethidium bromide, it was observed that no cured cells were obtained for all antibiotics used, whereas in the treatment done for three incubation times using SDS at a concentration of 1% (W/V) with different incubation periods as curing agent, the bacterial colonies that lost their antibiotics resistance appeared with different curing rates. The results showed 75 - 100% of curing for streptomycin and gentamycin with little effect on erythromycin and trimethoprim (0 - 8%), while SDS had variable effect on other antibiotics resistance in some isolates. In addition, curing of plasmid DNA by elevated temperature (45°C) was carried out and the results revealed high percentage of curing for all antibiotics resistance as they were compared with that induced by the action of SDS and ethidium bromide. The percentages of bacterial colonies that lost their antibiotic resistance were 55 - 100% for curing to all antibiotic resistance in the six tested isolates.

Key words: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, multidrug resistance, plasmid curing.