Matricaria chamomilla flower extract was used as a biocompatible material for synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs). The synthesized NPs were evaluated for their antibacterial potential in vitro and in vivo against Ralstonia solanacearum that causes devastating bacterial wilt disease in tomato and other crops. Synthesized ZnONPs were further analyzed by UV-Visible spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The synthesized polydisperse ZnONPs were found to be in the size range of 8.9 to 32.6 nm, and at 18.0 µg ml-1 exhibited maximum in vitro growth inhibition of R. solanacearum. SEM analysis of affected bacterial cells showed morphological deformation such as disruption of cell membrane, cell wall and leakage of cell contents. Results of in vivo studies also showed that application of ZnONPs to the artificially inoculated tomato plants with R. solanacearum significantly enhanced the plant growth by reducing bacterial soil population and disease severity as compared to untreated control. Biosynthesized ZnONPs could be an effective approach to control R. solanacearum.Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin, is a significant threat to the canola (Brassica napus L.) industry in Canada. Clubroot resistance has been overcome in more than 200 fields since 2013, representing one of the biggest challenges to sustainable canola production. The genetic structure of 36 single-spore isolates derived from 12 field isolates of P. brassicae collected before and after the introduction of clubroot resistant (CR) canola cultivars (2005-2014) was evaluated by simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker analysis. Polymorphisms were detected in 32 loci with the identification of 93 distinct alleles. A low level of genetic diversity was found among the single-spore isolates. Haploid linkage disequilibrium and number of migrants suggested that recombination and migration were rare or almost absent in the tested P. brassicae population. Cysteine Protease inhibitor A relatively clear relationship was found between the genetic structure and virulence phenotypes of the pathogen as defined on the differential hosts of Somé et al., Williams and the Canadian Clubroot Differential (CCD) set. Although genetic variability within each pathotype group, as classified on each differential system, was low, significant genetic differentiation was observed among the pathotypes. The highest correlation between genetic structure and virulence was found among matrices produced with genetic data and the hosts of the CCD set, with a threshold index of disease of 50% to distinguish susceptible from resistant reactions. Genetically homogeneous single-spore isolates provided a more complete and clearer picture of the population genetic structure of P. brassicae, and the results suggest some promise for the development of pathotype-specific primers.Drunken horse grass (Achnatherum inebrians) belongs to the family Poaceae it is mainly distributed in the natural grasslands of northern and northwestern in China. Ergot is a disease that can not only affect the growth of the grass, but also cause livestock poisoning (Coufal-Majewski et al. 2016). In September 2018, ergot was observed in a large area (about 15 ha) in Xinghai county, Qinghai province, China (35° 47′ N, 99° 53′ E, Altitude 3559 m). Around 65% of the plants of Achnatherum inebrians were affected. Symptoms initially showed drop-like honeydew on the ears of drunken horse grass, and later brown to dark brown sclerotia were observed. These were straight to slightly curved, measured 6.7 to 13.5 × 1.5 to 2.1 mm, which was approximately 1 to 4 times the size of healthy seeds. Sixteen spikes with typical symptoms were collected from eight different fields. Sclerotia were disinfested by immersion in 75% ethanol for 30 s and 1% NaClO for 90 s, rinsed three times in sterilized water, plated on potato dextrcterization as described above. Claviceps purpurea was reported to be associated with ergot in A. lemmonii in Idaho and A. robustum in Montana (Alderman et al. 2004). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. purpurea causing ergot in A. inebrians in China.Acidovorax citrulli is a seedborne pathogen that causes bacterial fruit blotch (BFB), a global threat to watermelon production. Treating watermelon seeds to eliminate A. citrulli is a critical component of BFB management, and several strategies have been evaluated to mitigate the impact of the disease. In China, watermelon seed producers routinely incubate seeds in watermelon juice (fermentation) to reduce the risk of seed infection by A. citrulli and seedling transmission of BFB. However, there has been limited effort to evaluate the efficacy of fermentation in mitigating A. citrulli seed infection. The current study showed that fermented watermelon fruit juice could inhibit A. citrulli population growth and demonstrated that the low pH conditions, not the temperature dynamic, generated during fermentation might play a major role in A. citrulli growth inhibition and could induce the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state in A. citrulli. We developed an effective method that was based on propidium monoazide PCR to detect viable A. citrulli cells under low pH conditions or in fermented watermelon fruit juice. We also provided evidence that VBNC A. citrulli cells induced by fermented watermelon fruit juice could not be resuscitated and did not retain their virulence on watermelon seedlings. However, VBNC A. citrulli cells could be resuscitated in Luria-Bertani medium. Based on these observations, we conclude that fermentation in watermelon fruit juice may not be an effective seed treatment for BFB because it may increase the seed infection by A. citrulli.

The aim of this study was to investigate how nutritional management services for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (pwALS) are structured in the UK, in order to gain insight into current practice and identify key barriers and enablers to delivering and providing services.

A three-part, sequential mixed-methods study was conducted that comprised (i) a thematic analysis of data from five focus groups (with 47 ALS health professionals from 41 UK organizations and four service user representatives), (ii) a nationwide cross-sectional survey (281 ALS healthcare professionals) and (iii) a freedom of information request (251 organizations).

UK nutritional management services for pwALS are coordinated from specialist (

 = 22) and non-specialist care centers (

 = 89), with national variability in the organization and delivery of services. Multidisciplinary working was highlighted to facilitate the coordination of nutritional care. However, the need to provide evidence-based continuing education for HCPs was evident.