The fungus has been isolated from the soil as well as from insects of the orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. In this study, we analyzed the ability of a strain of T cylindrosporum, isolated from soil samples taken in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, to produce hydrolytic enzymes, and to study the relationship of those activities to the fungus pathogenicity against pest aphids. We have made the traditional selleck kinase inhibitor and molecular characterization

of this strain of T cylindrosporum. The expression of hydrolase activity in the fungal strain was estimated at three incubation temperatures (4 degrees C, 12 degrees C and 24 degrees C), on different agar media supplemented with the following specific substrates: chitin azure, Tween (R) 20, casein, and urea for ATM Kinase Inhibitor manufacturer chitinase, lipase, protease, and urease activity, respectively. The hydrolytic-enzyme activity was estimated qualitatively according to the presence of a halo of clarification through hydrolase action, besides was expressed semi-quantitatively as the ratio between the hydrolytic-halo and colony diameters. The pathogenicity of the fungus was tested on adults of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi at thee temperatures of incubation (4 degrees C, 12 degrees C and 24 degrees C). The suspension

was adjusted to a concentration of 1×10(7) conidia/ml. In pathogenicity assays at seven days post-inoculation, the fungus caused the mortality of adults of Ropalosiphum padi at different temperatures

also showed a broad ability to grow on several agar-culture media, supplemented with different carbon sources at the three incubation temperatures tested. Although, the growth was greater with higher incubation temperatures (with maximum levels at 24 degrees C), the fungus reached similar colony diameters after 15 days of incubation on the medium supplemented with Tween (R) 20 at the lower two incubation temperatures of 4 degrees C or 12 degrees C. In accordance with the results on colony diameters, the fungus revealed an ability to degrade casein, chitin derivatives, Tween (R) 20, and urea CBL0137 datasheet as evidenced by the appearance of a halo around the fungal colony. Because of its origin and temperature tolerance, this Argentine strain has great potential for use as a biocontrol agent for insect pest control in cold and temperate environments.”
“Pulsed light (PL) is a nonthermal food technology with a potential as postharvest decontamination strategy for fruit and vegetables. The feasibility of PL in extending shelf-life of food products while assuring appropriate quality is still under investigation. The effect of pulsed light (PL) on surface decontamination (natural and inoculated microorganisms), physical (colour, texture and weight) and nutritional quality (ascorbic acid and major carotenoids) was investigated in red-ripe tomatoes during 15 days of storage at 20 degrees C. The application of PL treatments at fluences of 2.68 and 5.