Fungal chitinases play important roles in the decomposition of wastes, mycoparasitism, and biocontrol of nematodes and plant pathogens through chitin biodegradation. This study was conducted during 2013–2017 to investigate the presence of chitinase genes in Trichoderma and Clonostachys species from the Birjand plain, and to evaluate their ability to degrade chitin. Fungal spores and soil suspensions were cultured on minimal medium containing 1% colloidal chitin from crab bodies to isolate chitinolytic fungi. Chitinolytic ability of the isolates was evaluated on this medium by staining with 1% Lugol’s iodine solution and screening for the production of a bright halo around the colonies. Fifty-two isolates capable of degrading chitin were recovered. DNA extracted from the isolates was amplified using Chit2 or DECH degenerative primers that are related to the chitinase gene, and their sequences were aligned using the NCBI GenBank database. The Chit2 and DECH primers amplified 600-bp and 250-bp fragments, respectively, and according to sequence alignment, the isolates had sequences similar to that of the chi18 chitinase genes. Morphological and molecular characterization allowed identifying the isolates as belonging to the species Trichoderma harzianum (n = 41), T. longibrachiatum (n = 1), T. virens (n = 3), T. brevicompactum (n = 1), Clonostachys rosea (n = 5), and C. rogersoniana (n = 1), some of which may potentially be used as biocontrol agents of pathogenic nematodes and fungi. This is the first report of isolation of fungi capable of chitin biodegradation from the South Khorasan Province in Eastern Iran.
Nineteen isolates of Fusarium solani were recovered from crown and root rotted parts of cumin plants collected from the major cumin producing area in Iran during 1999-2000 using Nash-Snyder media. One hundred and fifty eight nit mutants of F. solani were generated using PDA amended with 3% and 5% potassium chlorate. Of the nit mutants generated, 47/7%, 26/6% and 25/9% were nit1, nit3 and nitM, respectively. Nit mutants were used to force heterokaryon formation to determine VCGs and their relation to pathogenecity and geographic origin. Fifteen VCGs were determined for F. solani isolates, that 12 were single members VCGs. There was no specific relation between VCGs and geographic origin in F. solani isolates. This is the first research on the genetic diversity of F. solani from cumin.
Phytophthora root and stem rot of soybean is a destructive disease of soybean in Iran. During 1998-2005, 142 isolates from soil and diseased soybean plants were collected and tested. Race identification was made possible by inoculating Rps differential soybean cultivars and lines. Of the 142 isolates tested, 110 isolates belonged to race 1 and 32 isolates belonged to race 3. Race 1 was dominant in soil and diseased plant samples. There was no variability in virulence of Phytophthora sojae between the areas surveyed.
A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects regarding inoculation of exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing bacterium, the extracted EPS and silicon nanoparticles on Solanum lycopersicum L. seeds under salinity stress, in a completely randomized factorial design with three replicates. The inoculated seeds with silicon nanoparticles (8 gr L⁻¹), bacterial EPS (0.01 M), and 1 mL of bacterial suspension (1×10⁸ CFU mL⁻¹) were sown in pots and irrigated with water at different salinity levels (0.3, 2, 4, 6, and 8 dS m⁻¹). Results showed that treatment application could enhance salinity tolerance of tomato seeds and improve plant growth so that combined treatments of EPS and silicon nanoparticles (S.E.N), bacteria and silicon nanoparticles (S.B.N), and EPS with silicon nanoparticles and bacteria (S.E.B.N) were the best treatments for plant growth and improvement regarding salinity levels. The mentioned treatments significantly (p<0.01) increased root and shoot fresh or dry weight in comparison to the control sample. In addition, treatments significantly (p<0.01) decreased proline content and antioxidant enzyme activities. Thus, it can be concluded that applied treatments are suitable for agricultural and environmental applications and bring about less damage caused by salinity stress.
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