Search

Abstract Background Pigeon pea is affected by the cyst nematode Heterodera cajani limiting the production. H. cajani can be managed by biological agents such as Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the determination of this experiment was to estimate native strains of T. harzianum isolated from pigeon pea fields in India on population of cyst, eggs and juveniles of H. cajani. Pots experiment was conducted at the playhouse of Sam Higginbottom University of Science and Technology, Prayagraj (UP), India, during the year of 2018–2020. Earthen pots were filled with sterilized soil @ 10 kg/pot for each replicate of the treatments. Ten days before sowing of the pigeon pea seed, about 5000 spores of T. harzianum were amended in to the soil for proper colonization. Fifteen days after seed germination, 200 cysts/pot were inoculated near the root zone of pigeon pea plant. The pots were irrigated when required. Observations were recorded of cyst population, eggs and second juveniles of H. cajani/500gm of pigeon pea rhizospheric soil at 90 days after sowing. Results Among all the isolates of T. harzianum, the treatment (T 7) reduced of cyst population (12), eggs population (234) and juveniles’ population (153) as compared with all other treatments including control at 90 days after sowing of pigeon pea seeds in the year 2018–2019. Similarly, in 2019–2020 reduction in cyst population (11), eggs population (189) and juveniles population (160) was observed at 90 days after sowing in Trichoderma isolates (T 7) as compared to control. Conclusions The findings of this study are very relevant since seven isolates of native T. harzianum were promising to suppress the number of cysts in 79.31 and 83.07%, eggs in 22.00 and 38.83% and juveniles’ population in 17.74 and 20.39% of the nematode H. cajani, besides promoting the pigeon pea plant growth.

Abstract Background This study is intended to clarify the influence of exogenous bovine lactoferrin (bLf) treatment on glycemic homeostasis, gene expression, and production of lactoferrin (Lf) in rats with experimentally induced diabetes. Methodology Fifty adult male rats were used; 15 rats were used as the normal control rats (group A) and were injected an intraperitoneal (I/P) with 1 ml of isotonic saline daily for 3 months. Thirty-five rats were administered I/P injection of 60 mg of streptozotocin per kilogram body weight to induce diabetes. Thirty streptozotocin-treated rats were selected and used as diabetic rats, and they were subdivided into 2 equal groups (15 rats each): the untreated diabetic group (group B) and treated diabetic group (group C). The rats in the diabetic group were administered an I/P injection of 1 ml of isotonic saline daily for 3 months, while rats in the diabetic treatment group were administered an I/P injection of 300 mg of bLf/kg body weight/day/3 months. At the end of the experiment, blood and renal tissue samples were collected from all rats. The levels of insulin, glucose, and lactoferrin in plasma were measured. Homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was performed. The numbers of Lf-mRNA copies in renal tissue were assessed using quantitative RT-PCR. To measure Lf production in renal tissue, Western blot analysis was applied. Results The obtained data demonstrated that the treatment of diabetic rats with bLf maintained glycemic homeostasis at normal levels but increased the mRNA expression of renal Lf. Conclusion In diabetic rats, bovine lactoferrin treatment offers the potential for protection against incidences of insulin resistance (IR) by stimulating the suppressed expression and production of the LTF gene.

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the toxicity of Aerosil 200® (fumed silica nanoparticles) and leaf extracts of four plants, Cinnamomum camphora, Matricaria chamomilla, Mentha arvensis, and Trigonella foenum-graecum against Thrips tabaci (Lind.) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion fields, as well their allelopathic effects on onions; moreover, the chlorophyll, phenol, and protein contents were determined in onions. This study was performed in completely randomized plots. After a growth period of 1 month, bioassay investigations and molecular polymorphism in T. tabaci by RAPD-PCR were performed, and total chlorophyll, phenol, and protein concentrations were investigated in onion plants posttreatment as well. The initial reduction% of the T. tabaci population in onion fields after application of a high concentration of nanoparticles (Aerosil 200® (4 ml/l)) and 8000 ppm concentrations of the four plant extracts were 83.66, 81.08, 86.92, 74.49, and 91.38%, respectively, whereas their persistence effects were 73.18, 67.78, 71.46, 66.94, and 78.29%, respectively. Furthermore, the total chlorophyll contents in onions treated with the nanoparticles and four plant extracts were 1.35, 1.17, 1.09, 1.07, and 1.18 mg/g, respectively; additionally, the concentrations of phenols were 4.65, 3.15, 3.15, 2.85, and 3.70 mg/g in onions treated with C. camphora, M. chamomilla, M. arvensis, T. foenum-graecum, and Aerosil 200®, respectively. The C. camphora extract was the most potent, as it increased the protein content in the onion plants, while the Aerosil 200® decreased the protein content in onions. In addition, DNA-RAPD showed that the polymorphism percentages were 73, 71, and 67% when treated with high concentrations of C. camphora and M. arvensis extracts and Aerosol 200®, respectively. T. foenum-graecum and M. chamomilla extracts induced the least polymorphism (17 and 16%, respectively). Overall, this study indicated that these plant extracts as well as the nanoparticles in Aerosil 200® could be used to reduce onion infestations of T. tabaci in the field environment.