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Knowing the patterns of Black Sigatoka development is essential to propose adequate disease management practices and evaluate their effects, which can be achieved through temporal analysis by integrating the evolving interactions of the pathosystem components, expressed by data on cumulative incidence and severity, and summarizing these data in a disease progress curve. Airborne spores are essential components for the progression of an epidemic in the context of a specific pathosystem. In this perspective, the spore count is an essential approach to assess and model an epidemic. This study evaluated the temporal dynamics of Black Sigatoka in a banana plantation in the Ribeira Valley, state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, while simultaneously performing a year-long evaluation of fungal spore aerobiology. The disease was intense during the rainy season, but the leaf emergence rate was high enough for quickly inverting the severity peak (between 169 and 197 days of evaluation). After that, the disease severity raised until reach the higher rates (around the score 7 out of 8). The disease progress curve of Black Sigatoka showed peaks of extreme severity, one in the rainy and another in the dry season, with high levels of ascospores in the air. The ascospore concentration and the severity of the disease correlated significantly on the same day of sampling and 15 days after ascospore sampling, corresponding to the average latency period of the disease in the region. The patterns of the disease progress curve in both peaks fitted the monomolecular model, with higher rates of disease increase in the rainy season.

The Sigatoka leaf spots are among the most important banana diseases. Although less damaging than black sigatoka, yellow sigatoka (Pseudocercospora musae) still prevails in some regions. This study aimed at testing the hypothesis of light interference in monocyclic parameters of yellow sigatoka epidemics. Grande Naine plantlets kept under contrasting shading conditions had their leaves 1 and 2 inoculated. Evaluations were performed for 60 days. For each inoculated leaf, the time until symptom onset (incubation), presence of infectious lesions (latency), and disease severity (extensive leaf necrosis) according to Stover’s scale modify per Gauhl (1994), called here only Stover’s scale, were registered. Logistic regression was used to assess the relative occurrence risk and survival analysis was used to check the effects of variables on relevant epidemiological parameters. The risks of sporulation and of reaching high severities were lower for plants kept under shading regardless of the acclimation conditions and no effect of leaf age was detected. The logistic regression showed symptoms appearing in both conditions (p=0,85), but have significance difference in occurrence of latent lesions (p=0,013) and necrosis (pSignificance and Impact of the StudyYellow Sigatoka (Pseudocercospora musae) is a banana disease that can cause severe damage if left uncontrolled. Its control is based mostly on fungicides.Our results show that shading downregulates the epidemiological parameters of that disease such as incubation, latent and infectious periods, and symptom’s severity. These results can be the basis for testing alternative cropping systems and producing organic bananas.

Banana is one of the most produced fruits in the world. Many diseases infect the culture and yellow sigatoka is one of the most important. Light may interfere in the pre-penetration parameters of the fungus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the action of light on aspects of the life cycle of the causal agent. The action of light was tested in vitro on the mycelial growth, sporulation and germination of the fungus. For the mycelial growth 10 colonies were transferred to each Petri plate, by evaluating the green weight of a plate at each moment, in mg, at zero, 15, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of cultivation according to different illuminance levels. Under the same conditions, the sporulation was also quantified at 5, 7, 11, 13 and 14 days. For germination, equal volumes of a spore suspension were placed in small glass containers, which then were set in mini-shades (different illuminances). Every 1h, lacto-phenol was added to a glass from each environment paralyzing the growth, at the same time, illuminance measurements were made with a light meter. The data obtained from sporulation (linear relation) and germination (positive exponential behavior) were significant for the illuminance levels tested.Significance and Impact of the StudyYellow Sigatoka disease, caused by Pseudocercospora musae, is still one of the most importante banana diseases in Brazil. Its control demands the use of fungicides. New environmental-friendly control methods should be developed. Therefore, the behaviour of both fungus and plant-fungus interaction should be known. We modelled the in vitro behaviour of P. musae in function of light intensity. Our results can help to develop shading strategies to control yellow Sigatoka.

Resumen Se pasa revista a los diferentes tipos de propagación del banano tradicional (fundamentalmente hijos y rizomas o partes del mismo), aún utilizada en plantaciones de tipo familiar y en plantaciones establecidas en gran número de países tropicales dedicadas al consumo local, y a través de cultivo in vitro (cultivo de tejidos), utilizada en las modernas explotaciones de bananos dedicados a la exportación. El trabajo se inicia con una descripción de las características morfológicas y desarrollo de la planta, una breve descripción de las estructuras de propagación a la que siguen luego dos grandes apartados: Propagación tradicional y microprogación. En este último apartado se aborda la propagación por organogénesis, mediante la micropropagación tradicional en medios de cultivos semisólidos y más actual por bioreactores y la propagación por embriogénesis somática. Se discute en profundidad los medios de cultivo e iluminación requeridos durante las diferentes fases de propagación por cultivo in vitro y se finaliza abordando los aspectos de endurecimiento, aclimatación y trasplante al campo de las plantas propagadas por cultivo de tejidos. Abstract The different propagation systems for the banana: conventional or by tissue culture are reviewed. Conventional propagation, mainly using suckers, whole rhizomes or bits are still in use for familiar plantings or in farms for local markets in many tropical countries, while vitroplants are the rule in modern commercial banana cultivation. After examining the main morphological and developmental characteristics of the banana plants and a short description of the structures required for the propagation of bananas two main subjects are examined: conventional propagation and micropropagation. In this last section the different systems of micropropagation; Propagation by organogenesis through conventional propagation in semisolid culture media and the more modern systems of micropropagation by somatic embryogenesis and by bioreactors are discussed with special attention to the culture media and illumination required for the production of tissue culture banana plants. The aspects of hardening, acclimatization and field transplant of vitroplants are discussed at the end.

The objective of this work was to assess the incidence of Yellow Sigatoka in banana plants cultivated with deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur or boron. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with 8 treatments, 4 repetitions and 1 plant per repetition. The treatments were supplied in solution culture and consisted of all the nutrients (control) or nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulphur (S) or boron (B) deficiency. Leaves 1 and 2 were inoculated on the abaxial surface with a suspension of conidia and assessed every 5 days to with a total of 5 assessments. The average number of lesions were integrated for the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). The greatest AUDPC occurred in plants deficient in K, N, P, S, or Mg. Plants deficient in N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S or B had lower leaf contents of these nutrients and showed morphological changes expressed in visual deficiency symptoms. Thus, banana plants deficient in K, N, P, S or Mg had a greater incidence of Yellow Sigatoka, compared with plants with full nutrients and plants deficient Ca or B.

This study analyzed the spatial distribution of Yellow Sigatoka Leaf Spot relative to soil fertility and plant nutritional status using geostatistics. The experimental area comprised 1.2 ha, where 27 points were georeferenced and spaced on a regular grid 18 × 18 m. The severity of Yellow Sigatoka, soil fertility and plant nutritional status were evaluated at each point. The spherical model was adjusted for all variables using restricted maximum likelihood. Kriging maps showed the highest infection rate of Sigatoka occurred in high areas of the field which had the highest concentration of sand, while the lowest disease was found in lower areas with lower silt, organic matter, total exchangeable bases, effective cation exchange capacity, base saturation, Ca and Mg in soil, and foliar sulfur (S). These results may help farmers manage Yellow Sigatoka disease more effectively, with balanced fertilization and reduced fungicide application. This practice minimizes the environmental impact and cost of production while contributing to production sustainability.

An understanding of the progression of a disease is important in the adoption of control strategies as well as the evaluation of their efficacies. Temporal analysis is especially useful because it integrates the evolution of the interaction between the components of the pathosystem, as expressed by the accumulated data on the incidence and severity of disease and depicted by the disease progression curve. Within a given patho-system, the dispersed airborne spores are important components in the progress of plant disease epidemics. Our aims were to evaluate the temporal dynamics of yellow Sigatoka in a banana plantation located in Coronel Pacheco, MG, Brazil, and to assess the aerobiology of Mycosphaerella musicola spores throughout the year. During the rainy season, we observed intense disease progression concomitant with high rates of leaf emission, which caused rapid reversal of the severity peaks after the maximum rates were reached. The yellow Sigatoka progress curve showed two peaks of extreme severity. The first, which occurred during the rainy season, was predominantly caused by a high concentration of conidia. The second, which occurred during the dry season, was predominantly caused by a high concentration of ascospores in the air. The ascospore concentrations were correlated with the severity of the disease 29 days later, indicating the average latency period of the disease in that region. The patterns of the severity curves for both peaks fit the monomolecular model, and the progression rates were higher during the rainy season than the dry season. The spore concentrations were the same at the two evaluated heights. In all evaluations, it was observed a higher concentration of ascospores than of conidia, with the greatest ascospore concentrations occurring during the early hours of the day and the greatest conidia concentrations occurring later, after the dew has dropped from the leaves.

A realização de pesquisas que possibilitem redução dos custos de produção e ou melhoria na qualidade das mudas micropropagadas tem sido imprescindível para possibilitar a utilização e difusão deste tipo de material propagativo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de alterações no ambiente de cultivo sobre o crescimento e anatomia de bananeiras na fase de alongamento/enraizamento in vitro. Para tanto, brotações axilares das cultivares Caipira e Pacovan foram cultivadas em meio MS contendo ANA (1 mg L-1) e agar (6 g L-1), onde foram aplicados os tratamentos. Os tratamentos consistiram de concentrações de sacarose (15 g L-1 e 30 g L-1) e ambientes de cultivo (Natural - casa de vegetação e Artificial - sala de crescimento). No fim de 45 dias, foram determinadas características de crescimento e de anatomia foliar. Houve influência significativa das alterações no ambiente de cultivo in vitro sobre as características avaliadas. Verificou-se que o uso da luz natural associada a 15 g L-1 de sacarose para a cultivar Caipira e 30 g L-1 para a Pacovan pode ser utilizada satisfatoriamente na fase de alongamento/enraizamento in vitro. Maior espessamento dos parênquimas clorofilianos e incremento na densidade estomática são induzidos em ambiente natural. A luz natural como alternativa às lâmapadas fluorescentes, no alongamento/enraizamento in vitro, representa potencial para reduzir os custos de produção e promover melhorias na anatomia foliar das mudas micropropagadas.

In the present work, polyploidy was induced in the diploid banana varieties 'Malbut', 'Gold', 'Lidi', and 'Thong Dok Mak' through the use of colchicine and oryzalin, and that condition was identified through stomatal analysis, flow cytometry, and chromosome counts. Shoots produced in vitro were treated with colchicine at concentrations of 0, 2.5, 7.5 and 12.5 mM for 24 and 48 h, and with oryzalin at 0, 10, 30 and 50 mM for 4 and 7 days. Young leaves were scanned by electron microscopy to determine their stomatal areas (polar diameter × equatorial diameter) and numbers for polyploid identification by stomatal analysis. Polyploid identification by way of flow cytometry analysis used samples of young leaves that were crushed to release their nuclei, with subsequent staining with propidium iodide; ten thousand nuclei were analyzed for each sample. For cytogenetic analyses, root tips were pretreated with 0.002 M 8-HQ for 3 h, fixed in Carnoy solution for 24 h, subjected to conventional squashing techniques, and stained with 10% Giemsa. We identified four tetraploid plants and six mixoploids using these three identification techniques.Keywords: Chromosomes duplication, Musa acuminata, tissue culture.African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol 13(37) 3748-3758

O trabalho teve por objetivo estudar em condições de casa de vegetação a reação de clones de bananeira, em relação a Meloidogyne incognita raça 2. Mudas micropropagadas foram inoculadas, utilizando-se da suspensão de M. incognita, formada de ovos e de juvenis do segundo estádio, totalizando 20.000 / muda. A inoculação foi feita após cinco dias do transplante das mudas para sacos de plástico preto de cinco litros de capacidade, contendo solo, areia e esterco, na proporção 3:1:1, esterilizado em caldeira a 100ºC, por duas horas. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Após 120 dias, os clones foram avaliados. Determinou-se o número de ovos e juvenis contido no sistema radicular, sendo utilizado o clone CPA-34, a cultivar Grande Naine, como padrão de suscetibilidade. Amostras de 200 cm³ de solo foram coletadas para a determinação do número de nematóides no solo. De acordo com os fatores de reprodução (Pf/Pi), verificou-se que o clone CPA-34 apresentou-se suscetível ao nematóide, como era esperado, com o maior fator de reprodução, seguido do clone CPA-49, da cultivar Maçã, com índice superior a um. Os demais clones testados apresentaram fator de reprodução menor que um, indicando certa resistência ao nematóide M. incognita raça 2. Entretanto, nas análises estatísticas, foram verificadas diferenças significativas entre o clone-padrão CPA-34, quando comparado com os clones CPA-58 e CPA-54. Para os resultados de peso de raízes e peso da parte aérea, a diferença foi significativa (1%) para todos os clones testados, apresentando os maiores valores para os clones não inoculados.

Identification and knowledge concerning genetic diversity are fundamental for efficient management and use of grapevine germplasm. Recently, new types of molecular markers have been developed, such as retrotransposon-based markers. Because of their multilocus pattern, retrotransposon-based markers might be able to differentiate grapevine accessions with just one pair of primers. In order to evaluate the efficiency of this type of marker, we compared retrotransposon marker Tvv1 with seven microsatellite markers frequently used for genotyping of the genus Vitis (VVMD7, VVMD25, VVMD5, VVMD27, VVMD31, VVS2, and VZAG62). The reference population that we used consisted of 26 accessions of Vitis, including seven European varieties of Vitis vinifera, four North American varieties and hybrids of Vitis labrusca, and 15 rootstock hybrids obtained from crosses of several Vitis species. Individually, the Tvv1 and the group of seven SSR markers were capable of distinguishing all accessions except 'White Niagara' compared to 'Red Niagara'. Using the Structure software, the retrotransposon marker Tvv1 generated two clusters: one with V. vinifera plus North American varieties and the other comprising rootstocks. The seven SSR markers generated five clusters: V. vinifera, the North American varieties, and three groups of rootstock hybrids. The percentages of variation explained by the first two components in the principal coordinate analysis were 65.21 (Tvv1) and 50.42 (SSR markers) while the Mantel correlation between the distance matrixes generated by the two types of markers was 42.5%. We conclude that the Tvv1 marker is useful for DNA fingerprinting, but it lacks efficiency for discrimination of structured groups.

A qualidade de luz pode alterar a morfogênese das plantas por meio de uma série de processos mediados por receptores de luz, principalmente na região do vermelho e azul. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar alterações anatômicas foliares e características biométricas de Cattleya loddigesii 'Tipo', cultivadas in vitro, sob diferentes malhas coloridas com nível de radiação de 50% de sombreamento. Plântulas oriundas de autopolinização e sementes germinadas in vitro, com aproximadamente 1,0cm de comprimento e com raízes, foram inoculadas em meio WPM e submetidas a diferentes condições de incubação. Testou-se o efeito de sombrites coloridos (vermelho e azul) sobre os frascos cultivados em casa de vegetação (CV) e sala de crescimento (SC), além dos tratamentos, nos dois ambientes, sem utilização das telas coloridas. A avaliação foi efetuada 180 dias após inoculação. Com os resultados obtidos, observou-se que o ambiente de cultivo promove alterações anatômicas e biométricas em plântulas de Cattleya loddigesii 'Tipo' micropropagadas. As alterações promovidas pelo cultivo em luz natural evidenciam maior capacidade fotossintética, por meio de maior diferenciação dos tecidos clorofilianos, promovendo uma superfície foliar anatomicamente adaptada à fase de aclimatização. The light quality is responsible for the morphogenesis in plants. It is mediated by a series of processes involving light receptors, mainly in the red blue region. The aim of this research was to observe the anatomical leaf alterations as well as the biometric characteristics of in vitro cultured Cattleya loddigesii 'Tipo'. Two different colour shading nets (red and blue, 50% mesh) were tested and compared with a control without the shading nets in greenhouse and growth room. Plantlets of 1.0cm in length with roots produced by self pollinization and by seeds in vitro germination were inoculated in WPM medium and submitted to these different incubation environments. After 180 days of inoculation the plantlets were evaluated. It was observed that the culture environment promote anatomical and biometric alterations in Cattleya loddigesii 'Tipo' plantlets micropropagated. The changes promoted by the cultivation in natural light show greater photosynthetic capacity, through greater differentiation of the chlorenchyma tissue, promoting a leaf surface anatomically adapted to the acclimatization stage.

Visando a avaliar o efeito de fungos micorrízicos arbusculares (FMA) na diminuição do tempo de formação de mudas de bananeira micropropagadas, foi conduzido um experimento em estufa de aclimatação da Biofábrica CAMPO - CPA/Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, Bahia. Foram testadas plântulas em três diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento do sistema radicular, inoculadas ou não com o fungo Gigaspora margarita e cultivadas em dois diferentes substratos à base de turfa, vermiculita e esterco. A inoculação foi realizada no momento do transplantio para a estufa e as plantas, cultivadas por 55 dias, quando foram coletadas para obtenção dos dados de avaliação. O fungo Gigaspora margarita colonizou intensamente e mostrou- se benéfico para o desenvolvimento das mudas de bananeira, sendo seu efeito modulado pelo substrato de crescimento; o substrato turfa + vermiculita + 5% de esterco, quando associado à inoculação do FMA, promoveu a formação de mudas normais e sadias; o início da fase de aclimatação de mudas micropropagadas de bananeira pode ser antecipado pelo uso da inoculação com fungos micorrízicos arbusculares, em substrato adequado. With the aim of evaluate de use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi Gigaspora margarita to reduce the time of formation of micropropagated banana plants it was conducted an experiment under greenhouse conditions at the CAMPO-CPA (micropropagating plant)/Embrapa-Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, in the city of Cruz das Almas, State of Bahia. Plants were tested at three different stages of formation: unrooted, half-rooted and completed rooted being cultivated on two substrates composed from mistures of turfgrass, vermiculite and manure. The plants were inoculated at the time of transplanting to the different substrates and were harvested after the acclimatization period of 55 days, for evaluation of its growth, mineral nutrition and mycorrhizal colonization. Gigaspora margarita promoted intensive colonization and was benefic for banana plant growth; plants inoculated and cultivated on substrate composed of turfgrass + vermiculite + 5% of manure, look normal and healthy; the beggining of acclimatization phase of banana plantlets production could be antecipated by inoculation of mycorrhizal fungi and use of proper substrate.

Increasing resistance to antibiotics in meningeal pathogens has stimulated a search for new antimicrobial agents for the treatment of bacterial meningitis. Moxalactam penetrates well into infected cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and is highly active against most gram-negative bacteria. The clinical efficacy and safety of moxalactam in the treatment of childhood meningitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae (25 patients) or Neisseria meningitidis (five patients) was evaluated in a random, uncontrolled study. The penetration of the antibiotic into CSF was also evaluated in these patients and in another five children with bacterial meningitis. The clinical results were excellent, with 29 of 30 cases cured. The single adverse clinical reaction noted was the development of a wound hematoma in a postoperative patient; this problem may have been related to moxalactam therapy. The levels of moxalactam achieved in CSF greatly exceeded the minimal bactericidal concentrations for the infecting organisms. Moxalactam appears to be safe and effective as primary therapy for meningitis caused by H influenzae or N meningitidis. Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis are common meningeal pathogens in children. Penicillin is currently recommended for the treatment of meningitis caused by N meningitidis and ampicillin and chloramphenicol for the treatment of meningitis caused by H influenzae. The emergence of ampicillin- and chloramphenicol-resistant strains of H influenzae [1] and concern over the hematopoietic toxicity of chloramphenicol have prompted a search for alternative agents. The successful treatment of meningitis caused by H influenzae requires an antimicrobial agent that is bac

Ceftriaxone, a new third-generation cephalosporin, appears to be promising for the therapy of acute bacterial meningitis. The 90% MBCs of ceftriaxone against 54 recent cerebrospinal fluid isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae were less than or equal to 0.06 to 0.25 micrograms/ml. We examined the efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone therapy of meningitis in Bahia, Brazil. The study was conducted in two phases; in phase A, ceftriaxone was coadministered with ampicillin. The mean cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of ceftriaxone 24 h after an intravenous dose of 80 mg/kg were 4.2 and 2.3 micrograms/ml on days 4 to 6 and 10 to 12 of therapy, respectively. These concentrations were 8- to more than 100-fold greater than the 90% MBCs against the relevant pathogens. In phase B, ceftriaxone (administered once daily at a dose of 80 mg/kg after an initial dose of 100 mg/kg) was compared with conventional dosages of ampicillin and chloramphenicol in a prospective randomized trial of 36 children and adults with meningitis. The groups were comparable based on clinical, laboratory, and etiological parameters. Ceftriaxone given once daily produced results equivalent to those obtained with ampicillin plus chloramphenicol, as judged by cure rate, case fatality ratio, resolution with sequelae, type and severity of sequelae, time to sterility of cerebrospinal fluid, and potentially drug-related adverse effects. The cerebrospinal fluid bactericidal titers obtained 16 to 24 h after ceftriaxone dosing were usually 1:512 to greater than 1:2,048 even late in the treatment course, compared with values of 1:8 to 1:32 in patients receiving ampicillin plus chloramphenicol. Ceftriaxone clearly deserves further evaluation for the therapy of meningitis; the optimal dose, dosing frequency (every 12 h or every 24 h), and duration of therapy remain to be determined.

Em relação às previsões para as mudanças climáticas globais, considera-se que a temperatura sofrerá as maiores alterações. Com isso, modificações relativas à importância das pragas e doenças das principais culturas podem ocorrer, resultando em impactos econômicos, sociais e ambientais, que podem ser positivos, negativos ou neutros, ou seja, as mudanças climáticas podem diminuir, aumentar ou não ter efeito sobre os problemas fitossanitários. PDF. 1097.