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Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f.sp. tritici, is one of the most dangerous rust diseases on wheat. Through physiological, biochemical, and molecular analysis, the relationship between the change in resistance of 15 wheat cultivars to stem rust disease and the response of 41 stem rust resistance genes (Sr,s) as well as TTKSK, TTKST, and TTTSK races was explained. Some cultivars and Sr genes, such as Gemmeiza-9, Gemmeiza-11, Sids-13, Sakha-94, Misr-1, Misr-2, Sr31, and Sr38, became susceptible to infection. Other new cultivars include Mir-3 and Sakha-95, and Sr genes 13, 37, 40, GT, and FR*2/SRTT3-SRTT3-SR10 remain resistant. Some resistance genes have been identified in these resistant cultivars: Sr2, Sr13, Sr24, Sr36, and Sr40. Sr31 was not detected in any cultivars. Reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide, enzymes activities (catalase, peroxidase, and polyphenoloxidase), and electrolyte leakage were increased in the highly susceptible cultivars, while they decreased in the resistant ones. Anatomical characteristics such as the thickness of the epidermis, ground tissue, phloem tissue and vascular bundle diameter in the midrib were decreased in susceptible cultivars compared with resistant cultivars. Our results indicated that some races (TTKSK, TTKST, and TTTSK) appeared for the first time in Egypt and many other countries, which broke the resistant cultivars. The wheat rust breeding program must rely on land races and pyramiding genes in order to develop new resistance genes that will survive for a very long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable agriculture is a prerequisite for food and environmental security. Chemical fertilization, especially nitrogenous fertilization, is considered the most consumed for field crops. In rice crops, plants consume much less than half of the applied N-fertilizer. In the current investigation, multiple N environments were generated by applying different N doses of urea fertilizer to a permanent transplanted field for two successive summer growing seasons at the rice research and training center, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt. A set of 55 genotypes consisting of 25 Jabonica, 4 Tropical Japonica, 20 Indica, and 6 Indica/Japonica were transplanted under no N (0N), Low N (LN), medium N (MN), and High N (HN) (i.e., 0, 48, 96, and 165 Kg N ha−1, respectively). Highly significant differences were detected among the tested genotypes. AMMI analysis of variance revealed the existence of the genotype via nitrogen interaction (GNI) on yield performance. The GNI principal components (IPCA); IPCA1 and IPCA2 scores were significant and contributed values of 71.1 and 21.7%, respectively. The highest-ranked genotypes were MTU1010, IR22, SK2046, SK2058, IR66, and Yabani LuLu based on their grain yield means (30.7, 29.9, 29.5, 29.3, 28.8, and 28.5 g plant−1). These genotypes were grouped into the same subcluster (SCL) according to the stability analysis ranking matrix. Based on AMMI analysis and biplots, MTU1010 and Yabani LuLu showed yield stability across environments. Meanwhile, the which-won-where biplot showed that IR22 was superior under unfavorable N-levels and MTU1010 was stable across the different environments. These findings are considered to be of great importance to breeders for initiating low-nitrogen-input breeding programs for sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is a major animal health hazard in many countries throughout the world, caused by bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1). The study's goal was to evaluate the prevalence of BoHV-1 seropositivity among dromedary camels in three governorates in northern Egypt, as well as to identify risk variables related with BoHV-1 seropositivity. A total of 321 blood samples were collected randomly from dromedary camels living in the selected governorates and examined for presence of BoHV-1 antibody using ELISA test. The overall seroprevalence of BoHV-1 among examined camels was 5.92% (95%CI: 3.82–9.06). Univariable analysis confirmed that the significant association (P < 0.05) between sex, history of abortion, contact with small ruminants and herd size and BoHV-1 seropositivity. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the following risk factors were identified to be related with the presence of BoHV-1 infection: sex (OR = 2.54, 95%CI: 0.63–10.22), history of abortion (OR = 4.16, 95%CI: 1.30–13.27), contact with small ruminants (OR = 5.61, 95%CI: 1.67–18.80) and large herd size (OR = 10.52, 95%CI: 2.46–44.91). This study estimated the disease's seroprevalence in Egyptian dromedary camels, implying that camels could act as a BoHV-1 reservoir for transmission to other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue (BT) is an insect-borne, non-contagious viral disease which affects domestic ruminants including camels and is transmitted by Culicoides spp. Clinical symptoms of BT are typically seen in sheep, although subclinical BT infections are mostly seen in cattle, goats, and camelids. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the sero-prevalence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in camels from some governorates in Egypt's southern and northern regions, as well as the infection's potential risk factors. During 2020–2021, a cross sectional study was conducted to screen presence of anti-BTV antibodies in 400 serum samples, which were collected randomly from camels, examined using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). The sera of 102 out of 400 camels tested positive for BTV, representing a frequency of 25.5%. Moreover, the odds of sero-positivity were higher among camels living in Aswan (OR = 5.33, 95%CI: 2.35–12.11), especially in females (OR = 2.63, 95%CI = 1.44–4.09) during summer season (OR = 2.40, 95%CI = 1.20–4.81). Furthermore, the probability of getting BTV infection increased when camels were exposed to the insect vectors (OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 0.87–3.09). The high prevalence of BTV in camels in several Egyptian regions highlights the need for more epidemiological investigations of BTV infection in other ruminant species in order to better control BT disease in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staphylococcus aureus is a common mastitis pathogen in dairy cows, and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) has been found in dairy farms all over the world. The study carried out on bovines from three governorates in Egypt, with the goal of determining the prevalence of MRSA in positive milk samples of subclinical mastitis, performing an antibiotic susceptibility test against MRSA isolates and determining the risk factors associated with MRSA. A total of 350 quarter milk samples (n = 200 mixed breed cow; n = 150 water buffalo) were collected and examined for subclinical mastitis using the California mastitis test (CMT) before being exposed to standard microbiological procedures for S. aureus isolation. The disc diffusion method was used to phenotypically analyse the positive S. aureus isolates for MRSA, which was verified by a PCR assay targeting the mecA gene. According to the findings of the study, 41.4% (145/350) milk samples were positive based on CMT, while 35.7% (125/350) of positive samples identified as MRSA based on PCR assay. However, the obtained results revealed non-significant disparity between cattle and buffalo and all predicted risk factors were strongly associated with prevalence of subclinical mastitis. The in-vitro antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that cefoxitin was completely resistant, whereas linezolid, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole were sensitive against the MRSA isolates. The relevance of S. aureus to public health, as well as the development of resistance to antibiotics like methicillin, needs ongoing testing of antimicrobial medications against MRSA isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Ovine anaplasmosis is a rickettsial disease caused by Anaplasma spp. These Gram-negative intracellular bacteria are mainly transmitted by ticks and infected blood cells of caprine, ovine, and wild small ruminants. At present, epidemiological data on anaplasmosis in cattle, dogs, and camels in Egypt are available, but the data about Anaplasma spp. in sheep and goat are scarce. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. in small ruminants and assess the associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the seroprevalence of Anaplasma spp. in 300 sheep and 300 goats from four governorates in North Egypt using a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays kit, and the associated risk factors for the infection were evaluated. Results: Overall, the seroprevalence of anti-Anaplasma antibodies was 18.3% and 21.3% in sheep and goats, respectively. Amultivariable logistic regression model was used to determine the association between risk factors and Anaplasma spp. infection. Conclusion: Age, animal husbandry, acaricide use, tick infestation, and contact with cattle were the primary risk factors for Anaplasma seropositivity. This study confirms the presence of antibodies against Anaplasma spp. in small ruminants from Egypt. This is the first study to assess the associated risk factors for Anaplasma infection in small ruminants from Egypt. Further studies are needed to improve the understanding of the associated disease factors, facilitating the development of new procedures for control of anaplasmosis in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice cultivation in Egypt is limited by the scarcity of water resources. The main strategy of rice breeders to overcome this problem is to develop new high-yielding varieties that are tolerant to drought stress. In this study, an drought-tolerant (IR60080-46A) variety was crossed with commercial Egyptian varieties using the back-cross method and marker-assisted selection (MAS) approach. The advanced lines of these crosses were selected under drought stress conditions. The best-performing candidate line, RBL-112, and its parental genotypes, were evaluated under drought stress and control conditions. The RBL-112 line showed superior its root system, which in turn produced higher grain yield under drought-stress conditions than its parental and check genotypes. Furthermore, physiological and biochemical studies showed that the RBL-112 line maintained higher relative water content (RWC), maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) values, proline content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared to its parents and the check. The functional expression profiles of 22 drought tolerance-related genes were studied, out of which the genes OsAHL1, OsLEA3, OsCATA, OsP5CS, OsSNAC1, Os1g64660, OsRab21, OsAPX2, OsDREB2A, OsSKIPa, and OsLG3 were strongly induced in the newly developed RBL-112 line under drought-stress conditions. It could be concluded that the new line has a higher capacity to modulate physiological activities and expression levels of several drought-induced genes to withstand drought stress with high yielding ability. This finding suggests that the RBL-112 line presents a promising new addition to enable sustainable rice cultivation under water-limited conditions, and confirms the efficiency of the approach implemented in the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ovine anaplasmosis is a tick borne disease, mainly affecting small ruminants and causes economic losses in Egypt. • The prevalence of Anaplasma ovis was highly significant in elder ewe particularly in animals infested with ticks. • The analysis of A. ovis msp4 sequences revealed two different genotypes classified in the old world sub-cluster with other Egyptian isolates. Anaplasma ovis is the most common etiologic agent of ovine anaplasmosis, mainly transmitted by ticks. The present study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence of A. ovis in sheep from Egypt and assessed the associated risk factors. The study was conducted, between January and December 2020, in four governorates situated in Northern Egypt. Blood samples from 355 asymptomatic sheep were collected and examined by the use of PCR specific to A. ovis. Diversity analysis and phylogenetic study based on partial msp4 gene sequence were performed on revealed A. ovis DNA. Overall, the molecular prevalence rate of A. ovis was 15.5% and the highest rate was observed in Kafr ElSheikh governorate (16.8%). Statistical analysis revealed that A. ovis infection was significantly related to sheep gender and to tick infestation. The risk factors that were found to be associated with A. ovis infection in exposed sheep were: female sex (OR=2.6, 95%CI: 1.13–6.12), and infestation with ticks (OR=2.1, 95%CI: 1.11–3.79). The analysis of A. ovis msp4 sequences revealed two different genotypes classified in the Old World sub-cluster with other Egyptian isolates. Investigation on prevalence, risk factors and genetic variability of A. ovis in sheep reported in this study is important for the implementation of control programs. Further studies are needed to determine the vectors and reservoirs of A. ovis in Egyptian small ruminants and to identify the real economic impact of A. ovis infection on the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Johne's disease is a chronic disease with great concern in ruminants and caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). A cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2019 to January 2020 to estimate the prevalence of MAP infection among camels which are kept in three governorates in Nile Delta of Egypt. A total of 440 serum samples were examined by ELISA for detection of MAP antibodies. The multivariable logistic regression model was performed to determine the associated risk factors for MAP infection in examined camels. Overall, the seroprevalence of MAP infection was found to be 7.5% among examined camels. The multivariable logistic regression model was performed to determine the associated risk factors for MAP infection in examined camels. The main findings revealed that the risk of getting MAP infection increased among elder camels (>10 years old) with signs of diarrhea, having communal water source and in camels grazing in the same pasture (odds ratio >1). However, geographic location, sex and contact with cattle had not significant impact regarding to seroprevalence of MAP infection in camels. The present findings confirm presence of MAP among camels which is a potential risk factor for contamination of environment and spreading of infection. Therefore, further studies for detection of infected animals in early stage are needed beside the estimated risk factors in this study to build an efficient control program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broomrape parasitism on faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is the most destructive factor for this crop in Egypt. Pot experiments were conducted during the two successive seasons 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 to study the mitigation of broomrape stress on faba bean using a ten-fold dilution of 10% (w/v) spent mushroom substrate extract (SMSE) of Pleurotus ostreatus and the same dilution of culture filtrate of mushroom (MCF) grown in potato dextrose broth (PDB) at a rate of 48 l hectare−1 compared with the commercial herbicide Roundup (Glyphosate 48% emulsifiable concentrate) at a rate of 144 cm3 ha−1 on the two varieties (Misr3 and Sakha3) cultivated in broomrape-infested soil. The treatments include the use of mushroom products as foliar spray and/or soil amendment in addition to Roundup spraying as a recommended treatment. Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) spectroscopy, our results indicate that the major components of the two mushroom products were bioactive compounds such as polyphenol and high molecular weight aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons that may interfere with parasite and host metabolism. These results indicated that SMSE of P. ostreatus and MCF of the same mushroom grown in potato dextrose broth (PDB) gave the best control of broomrape, and increased plant height, root length, leaf area, chlorophyll concentration, relative water content and seed yield (g plant−1), as well as anatomical characters of leaves in the two faba bean varieties (Misr3 and Sakha3), such as upper and lower epidermis, palisade tissue, spongy tissue and vascular bundles. Additionally, electrolyte leakage was decreased in the treated plants compared to control plants and the plants treated with Roundup (glyphosate) because of the important role of SMSE and MCF in the improvement of faba bean water status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Brucellosis remains a threat to the cattle and sheep industry in Egypt. • Detection of B. abortus from unvaccinated cattle and sheep. • PCR is a better alternative to bacteriological methods for diagnosing brucellosis. • Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses showed that two distinct B. abortus strains are circulating among cattle and sheep. • Sex and age are considered as risk factor for brucellosis in cattle and sheep. Brucellosis is one of the most economically significant infectious diseases in Egypt. The study aimed to assess the seroprevalence by indirect ELISA by examining serum samples from 720 cattle and 320 sheep and detection and characterization of Brucella spp. from 24 clinical samples (placenta) by bacterial culture (BC) and PCR targeting bcsp31 gene. The seroprevalence was 16.7% and 16.25% in cattle and sheep, respectively. There was a significant association (P < 0.05) between the seroprevalence of brucellosis and sex at the level of cattle and age at the sheep level, where seroprevalence was 18.7% in female cattle and 22% in sheep > 2 years. Likewise, seroprevalence was significantly (P < 0.05) different among locations for cattle. Of the 24 clinical samples tested by BC, B. abortus was isolated and identified in 100% of clinical samples. Using PCR, all Brucella strains were positive (100%) regarding bcsp31 gene. Nucleotide analyses of seven bcsp31 sequences of the identified strains revealed 99.3–100% identity, with one nucleotide divergence. These results provide an insight into the brucellosis, particularly with the detection of B. abortus from sheep, therefore, further wide epidemiological studies are needed to develop appropriate prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the individual fecal culture (IFC), fecal PCR (FPCR), and serum ELISA for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infections in sheep from four governorates in Egypt, using a latent class model (LCM) fitted within a Bayesian framework. Furthermore, the within-governorate prevalence of MAP infection in sheep was estimated as a secondary objective. Fecal and blood samples were collected from 370 sheep in four Egyptian governorates. Fecal samples were analyzed by IFC and RT-PCR based on ISMav2 gene, while ELISA was performed on serum samples. The sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of the three diagnostic tests were estimated using a three-tests-four-populations Bayesian LCM to obtain posterior estimates [medians and 95% Bayesian credible intervals (95% BCI)] for each parameter. The median Se estimates (95% BCI) for IFC, FPCR, and serum ELISA were 31.8% (22.8–41.4), 49.7% (31.8–79.9), and 61.2% (39.8–81.4), respectively. The median Sp estimates (95% BCI) for IFC, FPCR, and serum ELISA were 97.7% (96.1–98.9), 97.7% (95.6–99.5), and 98.4% (96.9–99.3), respectively. The median within-governorate paratuberculosis prevalence (95% BCI) was 5.2% (1.1–13.6), 8.4% (2.9–17.7), 9.4% (3.0–20.7), and 18.2% (10.5–29.5) for the Gharbia, Menoufia, Qalyubia, and Kafr El-Sheikh governorates, respectively. In conclusion, at a ratio of the optical density (OD) sample/OD positive control threshold of > 45%, ELISA showed the highest Se among the three tests and comparable Sp to IFC and FPCR. The test ELISA evaluated in this study is an interesting alternative for detecting MAP in sheep due to its higher Se, lower cost, and shorter turnaround laboratory time compared to IFC and FPCR. • Serum ELISA had the highest sensitivity (61.2%) compared to fecal PCR (49.7%) and culture (31.8%) for MAP detection. • Serum ELISA showed comparable specificity (98.4%) to both fecal culture and PCR (97.7%). • Kafr El-Sheikh governorate had the highest median within-governorate paratuberculosis prevalence (18.2%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning approaches have been increasingly utilized in the field of medicine. Brucellosis is one of the most common contagious zoonotic diseases with significant impacts on livestock health, reproduction, production, and public health worldwide. Therefore, our objective was to determine the seroprevalence and compare the logistic regression and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) data-mining analysis to assess risk factors associated with Brucella infection in the densest cattle populated Egyptian governorates. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 animals (383 cows, 17 bulls) distributed over four Governorates in Egypt's Nile Delta in 2019. The randomly selected animals from studied geographical areas were serologically tested for Brucella using iELISA, and the animals' information was obtained from the farm records or animal owners. Eight supposed risk factors (geographic location, gender, herd size, age, history of abortion, shared equipment, and disinfection post-calving) were evaluated using multiple stepwise logistic regression and CART machine-learning techniques. A total of 84 (21.0%; 95% CI 17.1–25.3) serum samples were serologically positive for Brucella. The highest seroprevalence of Brucella infection was reported among animals raised in herd size > 100 animals (65.5%), with no disinfection post-calving (61.7%), with a history of abortion (59.6%), and with shared equipment without thorough cleaning and disinfection (57.1%). The multiple stepwise logistic regression modeling identified herd size, history of abortion, and disinfection post-calving as important risk factors. However, CART modeling identified herd size, disinfection post-calving, history of abortion, and shared equipment as the most potential risk factors for Brucella infection. Comparing the two models, CART model showed a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC = 0.98; 95% CI 0.95 – 1.00) than the binary logistic regression (AUROC = 0.89; 95% CI 0.73 – 0.92). Our findings strongly imply that Brucella infection is most likely to spread among animals raised in large herds (>100 animals) with a history of abortions and bad hygienic measures post-calving. The CART data-mining modeling provides an accurate technique to identify risk factors of Brucella infection in cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]