Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob Reduces the Incidence of Varroa destructor and Nosema Spp. in Commercial Apiaries Located in the Northwest of Argentina

Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob was administered to productive colonies belonging to commercial apiaries of small beekeepers (around 30–50 hives each one), from four departments of the province of Jujuy (Argentina): Yala, Tilquiza, El Carmen, and Los Alisos. The incidence of Varroa destructor and Nosema spp., before and after winter, was monitored during 2 years of study (2014–2015). Depending on the geographical location of each apiary and the application time, a monthly dose of the bacteria (10⁵ CFU/mL) reduced the levels of varroasis between 50 and 80%. Interestingly, L. salivarius A3iob cells remitted the percentage of the mites to undetectable values in an apiary treated with flumethrin (at Yala, Yungas region).

On the other hand, the spore levels of Nosema spp. in the lactobacilli-treated colonies also depended on the apiary and the year of application, but a significant decrease was mainly observed in the post-winter period. However, at Rivera (El Carmen’s department), no significant changes were detected in both parameters.

These results obtained after 2 years of work suggest that delivering L. salivarius A3iob cells to the bee colonies can become a new eco-friendly tool to cooperate with the control of these bees’ pests.

     

SEED GERMINATION STUDIES IN MUSA. I. SCARIFICATION AND ASEPTIC GERMINATION OF MUSA BALBISIANA

Stotzky , G., Elsie A. Cox , and Roger D. Goos . (Central Research Labs., United Fruit Co., Norwood, Mass.) Seed germination studies in Musa. I. Scarification and aseptic germination of Musa balbisiana . Amer. Jour. Bot. 49(5): 515–520. Illus. 1962.—Methods for germinating seeds of Musa balbisiana Colla under aseptic conditions have been developed. Scarification was required for germination under these conditions, and mechanical was superior to chemical scarification. Various methods of mechanical scarification and cultural procedures were developed which facilitated the operation when large numbers of aseptic seedlings were required. Removing a chip from the lateral portion of the seed coat to expose the endosperm was the most effective method of scarification: germination percentages averaged 80%, and the time required for germination in sterile culture was shortened from the 3–6 weeks required for intact seeds in soil to 6–10 days. However, scarification did not shorten the time required for germination in soil, and seeds treated with some methods of mechanical scarification failed to germinate, as a result of their decomposition by microorganisms. The effectiveness of scarification in causing germination in aseptic culture is not presently understood, but, as the excised embryo exhibits no dormancy, the factors delaying germination apparently reside in other portions of the seed.     

The phlebotomine fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Guaraí, state of Tocantins,with an emphasis on the putative vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis in rural settlement and periurban areas

Phlebotomine sandflies were captured in rural settlement and periurban areas of the municipality of Guaraí in the state of Tocantins (TO), an endemic area of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). Forty-three phlebotomine species were identified, nine of which have already been recognised as ACL vectors. Eleven species were recorded for the first time in TO. Nyssomyia whitmani was the most abundant species, followed by Evandromyia bourrouli, Nyssomyia antunesi and Psychodopygus complexus. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index and the evenness index were higher in the rural settlement area than in the periurban area. The evaluation of different ecotopes within the rural area showed the highest frequencies of Ev. bourrouli and Ny. antunesi in chicken coops, whereas Ny. whitmani predominated in this ecotope in the periurban area. In the rural settlement area, Ev. bourrouli was the most frequently captured species in automatic light traps and Ps. complexus was the most prevalent in Shannon trap captures. The rural settlement environment exhibited greater phlebotomine biodiversity than the periurban area. Ps. complexus and Psychodopygus ayrozai naturally infected with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis were identified. The data identified Ny. whitmani as a potential ACL vector in the periurban area, whereas Ps. complexus was more prevalent in the rural environment associated with settlements.     

Ionome and elemental transport kinetics shaped by parallel evolution in threespine stickleback

Evidence that organisms evolve rapidly enough to alter ecological dynamics necessitates investigation of the reciprocal links between ecology and evolution. Data that link genotype to phenotype to ecology are needed to understand both the process and ecological consequences of rapid evolution. Here, we quantified the suite of elements in individuals (i.e., ionome) and differences in the fluxes of key nutrients across populations of threespine stickleback. We find that allelic variation associated with freshwater adaptation that controls bony plating is associated with changes in the ionome and nutrient recycling. More broadly, we find that adaptation of marine stickleback to freshwater conditions shifts the ionomes of natural populations and populations raised in common gardens. In both cases ionomic divergence between populations was primarily driven by differences in trace elements rather than elements typically associated with bone. These findings demonstrate the utility of ecological stoichiometry and the importance of ionome‐wide data in understanding eco‐evolutionary dynamics.     

Guanosine and GMP increase the number of granular cerebellar neurons in culture: dependence on adenosine A2A and ionotropic glutamate receptors

Purinergic Signalling - The guanine-based purines (GBPs) have essential extracellular functions such as modulation of glutamatergic transmission and trophic effects on neurons and astrocytes. We...