Vector competence of Coquillettidia linealis (Skuse) (Diptera: Culicidae) for Ross River and Barmah Forest viruses

Abstract Coquillettidia linealis is a severe pest on some of the Moreton Bay islands in Queensland, Australia, but little is known of its breeding habitats and biology. Because of its high abundance and its association with Ross River (RR) and Barmah Forest (BF) viruses by field isolation, its vector competence was evaluated in the laboratory by feeding dilutions of both viruses in blood. For RR, Cq. linealis was of comparable efficiency to Ochlerotatus vigilax (Skuse), recognised as being a major vector. Results were as follows for Cq. linealis and Oc. vigilax , respectively: dose to infect 50%, 10^2.2 and <10^1.7 CCID₅₀/mosquito; 88% and 90% disseminated infection at 4 days postinfection; transmission at 4 days with rates of 68−92% and 25−60%. For BF dose to infect 50%, 10^2.7 and 10^2.0; disseminated infection rates on first transmission day (day 6), 40% and 70%; transmission rates of 8−16% and 0−10%. As a capillary-tube method was used rather than suckling mice to demonstrate transmission, transmission rates may be underestimates. This, the first study of the vector competence of Cq. linealis in Australia, demonstrates that this species deserves control on the southern Moreton Bay islands.     

Partial elimination of G1 and G2 periods in higher plant cells by increasing the S period

Meristematic cells from Allium cepa L roots can attain a steady-state of growth at both 15 and 25 °C in the presence of drugs, hydroxyurea and 5-amino-uracil, which reduce the rate of DNA synthesis. These drugs, at used concentrations, significantly lengthen the S period without altering the cell growth rate, as indicated by the maintenance of the generation time. It has been observed that steady-state populations respond to a gradual increase in S by a reduction of G2 until a minimum value; with larger lengthening of S, both G1 and G2 are reduced. Natural synchronous populations have been used to study cell cycle parameters during transition from the physiological steady-state to the new one created by the presence of the drug. G2 (but not G1) is reduced during transition even in the presence of maximum drug concentrations that do not alter the cell growth rate. Both the S period and the division time are lengthened during transition. These observations support the concept that certain fractions of G1 and G2 are expendable, because they have no role in the DNA-division sequence of cell cycle events. We conclude that cell size regulates the length of these fractions by means of a negative correlation.     

Synaptic behaviour of hexaploid wheat haploids with different effectiveness of the diploidizing mechanism

Haploids of three cultivars of Triticum aestivum (Thatcher, Chris, and Chinese Spring) were obtained from crosses with Zea mays. The level of chromosome pairing at metaphase I and the synaptic behaviour at prophase I was studied. There were differences in the meiotic behaviour of the haploids from different cultivars. Thatcher and Chris haploids had significantly higher levels of pairing at metaphase I than Chinese Spring haploids. This metaphase I pairing was correlated with higher levels of synapsis achieved in the Thatcher and Chris prophase I nuclei than in the Chinese Spring nuclei. Variation in the effectiveness of the diploidizing mechanism among cultivars of wheat is proposed to have a genetic origin and the role of the Ph1 locus in the different haploids is discussed.     

Bean yellow disorder virus: Parameters of transmission by Bemisia tabaci and host plant range

Abstract Bean yellow disorder virus (BnYDV) was recently identified as the first crinivirus (family Closteroviridae) that infects members of the family Leguminosae. It was first observed during the autumn of 2003, causing heavy losses in French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown commercially in Spain. The virus is transmitted by the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Q‐biotype, and disease symptoms resemble nutritional disorders consisting of interveinal mottling and yellowing in leaves, combined with stiffness or brittleness, and are typically produced on the middle to lower parts of the plant. Transmission experiments showed that 50% and 100% of B. tabaci adults acquired the virus after a feeding period of 3 and 7 h, respectively. Viruliferous whiteflies infected 66% and 100% of P. vulgaris plants after a feeding period of 12 and 24 h, respectively. The transmission efficiency of single whiteflies was 37% and persistence of BnYDV in the vector lasted up to 2 weeks with a half‐life of 9 days. BnYDV was transmitted to P. vulgaris, Pisum sativum L., Lens culinaris Medik., and Vicia faba L., but not to Vigna unguiculata L., Glycine max (L.) Merr., Cicer arietum L., and to crop species belonging to families of the Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae. No virus was detected in field samples collected from 30 different species from Boraginaceae, Asteraceae, Geraniaceae, Lamiaceae, Leguminosae, Malvaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Thymelaeaceae and Verbenaceae. The restricted host range and efficient management of crops regarding whitefly infestation may be key elements in the control of BnYDV.     

Spectral Response of Metallic Optical Antennas Driven by Temperature

When optical antennas are used as light detectors, temperature changes their spectral response. Using this relation, we determine the spectrum of a light beam from an optical antenna’s signal. A numerical evaluation of the temperature-spectral response has been completed with a model for the noise of the device. Using both the response and the noise model, we have established the capabilities of the device by quantifying the error in the spectrum determination both for broadband spectrum and monochromatic radiation.     

Prevalence of non-strongyle gastrointestinal parasites of horses in Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia

This study aimed to provide recent data on the occurrence of non-strongyle intestinal parasite infestation in horses in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia as a basis for developing parasite control strategies. We conducted necropsy for 45 horses from September 2006 to November 2007 in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. 39 out of 45 horses were infected with intestinal parasites with an infestation rate of 86.6%. Infestations with seven nematode species and two species of Gasterophilus larva were found. The most prevalent parasites were Strongyloides westeri (64.4%) and Parascaris equorum (28.8%) followed by Habronema muscae (22.2%). Trichostrongylus axei and Oxyuris equi were less common at (11.1%) and (8.8%), respectively. Habronema megastoma and Setaria equine were found in two horses only (4.4%). Gasterophilus intestinalis larvae were recovered from 39 horses (86.6%) and Gasterophilus nasalis larvae were found in 17 horses (37.7%). Season had a significant effect on the prevalence of P. equorum and G. nasalis, while age of horses had a significant effect only on the prevalence of P. equorum. The husbandry in Saudi Arabia appears to be conductive to parasites transmitted in stables or by insects rather than in pasture.