Biography:

Nikolaj Sørensen is a microbial ecologist with experience from a vast range of microbial habitats, including aquatic, terrestrial, and clinical microbial ecosystems. He makes extensive use of high-throughput sequencing in his work and is focused on bridging the gap between bioinformatics and microbial ecology. His holistic approach to microbial ecology comes from being actively involved in all steps of the scientific process, from study planning and sample collection through laboratory work and sequencing to bioinformatics and the ecological interpretation. He is the Director of scientific operations in the contract research organization clinical-microbiomics.

Abstract:

Traditionally, shotgun sequencing of complex microbial communities depends on reference genomes from known organisms. However, reference genomes are missing for the majority of the microbial diversity, making this approach inadequate for surveying complex microbial communities. The metagenomic species (MGS) concept allows detection and functional profiling of unknown species for which reference genomes are absent by clustering genes based on their abundance profiles. This method has already proven successful on the human gut microbiome, where it can identify up to five times more species than reference genomes can. The MGS concept has recently been expanded to include infants, mice, pigs, and marine microbial communities and can likely also be applied to terrestrial environments. Recent tests have found that the MGS concept is much more accurate and sensitive in detecting low-abundance taxa than a reference genome-based approach and, consequently, can provide reliable results at much lower sequencing depths, providing significant savings on sequencing costs. The MGSs typically consists of 1000-2000 genes representing core genomes and annotation of these genes allows identification of the functional potential of each MGS as well as insight into how metabolic pathways are distributed between the members of a microbial community. Furthermore, the majority of the MGSs appears to be only distantly related to known taxa and can provide a vantage point from which to describe new high level taxa. The MGS concept is a very valuable tool for the microbial ecologist and allows surveying the microbial community at both a taxonomic and functional level of detail not previously possible.

Biography:

Carole Ayoub Moubareck is a pharmacist who is specialized in microbiology (Ph.D from the Paris Descartes University) then pursued a Post-doctoral work at the Institute Pasteur of France. She was responsible of the National Reference Center of Antibiotic Resistance in France from 2007 to 2009. She has worked at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon and since 2014 she has been in Zayed University in Dubai as Associate Professor. Her research interests are in controlling infectious diseases by monitoring the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria to antibiotics and characterizing the related resistance mechanisms. She is also interested in food safety by assessing the innocuity of food strains and studying gene transfers from animal to human bacteria in the digestive ecosystem and evaluating the influence of environmental factors. An essential part of her research is about the determination of the intestinal mircobiota of preterm infants and the relationship with the establishment of necrotizing enterocolitis.

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating inflammatory disease which primarily affects preterm infants (PTI). Although its exact etiology remains unknown, gut bacterial colonization is recognized to play a pivotal role in its development. In this study, we hypothesized that differences in bacterial colonization exist between Lebanese PTI with and without NEC.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A total of 11 PTI developing NEC was selected from three Lebanese neonatal intensive care units and matched with 11 controls. Three time intervals were defined: (a) before NEC; (b) most proximate to NEC; and (c) after NEC onset. Fecal samples were analyzed by q-PCR and TTGE.

Findings: By qPCR, all infants were colonized by Staphylococci and Enterococci with significant differences in colonization before NEC onset. Higher colonization levels by Staphylococci (p=0.034) and lower colonization levels by Enterococci (p=0.039) and Lactobacilli (p=0.048) in the NEC group were noticed indeed. Almost all infants were colonized by Enterobacteriacae at high levels with a trend to higher frequency of colonization in NEC PTI during and after NEC onset. Bacteroïdes and all Clostridia (except cluster I) were strongly underrepresented in both groups. Furthermore, throughout the sampling period, comparison of stool samples by TTGE revealed no particular clusterisation suggesting a high inter-individual variability.

Conclusion & Significance: This study did not incriminate a unique causative pathogen but suggested that NEC resulted in part from a perturbation of the intestinal microbiota. It described an abnormal gut microbiota profile in NEC PTI that included high levels of colonization by Staphylococci and low levels of colonization by Enterococci and Lactobacilli. This understanding in NEC etiology might be translated into better prophylactic interventions including the use of pre and/or probiotics in order to reduce the incidence and severity of NEC.

Biography:

Coppotelli B M has her expertise in microbial bioremediation and passion in contributing to environmental care. Her studies on hydrocarbon degrading bacterial strains and consortia have contributed to the world of microbial ecology, getting insight into ecology that drives bacterial communities in response to inoculation and biochemical processes of contaminant elimination in soils and sediments and interactions among bacterial community members. It allows contributing our understanding and helping in designing appropriate management and cleanup of contaminated ecosystems.

Abstract:

Over the years, we have collected different bacterial strains belonging to sphingomonadaceae family, which have in common the ability to degrade PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). Their genomes have been fully sequenced (WGS) showing similarities in genes codifying enzymes involved in PAH degradation. All of them showed different degradation kinetics in cultures with phenanthrene as sole carbon source. This differences were confirmed when were inoculated in soil contaminated with phenanthrene. The bioaugmentation of the strain Sphingomonas paucimobilis 20006FA revealed a reduction in genetic and functional diversity of soil, and the accumulation of toxic phenanthrene metabolites reducing efficiency in phenanthrene degradation. This effect was not observed when a similar experiment was performed with Sphingobium sp. AM strain, suggesting that despite coding for the same enzymes the genes of the strains would be regulated differently. The effect of the inoculation with strain 20006FA and Sphingobium sp. 22B (more resistant to C-starvation and drying conditions) on contaminated soil in a desiccation environment, suggests that strain 22B is the most suitable due to its adaptation to the usual environmental conditions. The effect of bioaugmentation with Sphingobium sp. AM strain on different soils microbiomes (chronically and recently contaminated soil) revealed an increase in the richness and diversity (pyrosequencing) in both contaminated microbiomes. An improvement in the elimination of phenanthrene occurred only in recently contaminated soil. In all cases, there was evidence of the establishment of the inoculants, which occurred together with the modification of the microbiome of the soils. It was verified that the establishment of an inoculant in the soil does not necessarily correlate with the increase of the desired catabolic capacities, in our case the degradation of PAH, because it could have been established in function of other resources. We have observed that efficiency of an inoculant in soil is not directly related to its genetic potential but to other physiological properties, which could be translated in a distinctive environmental behavior.

Biography:

Julio César de Souza has expertise in animal production and conservation and sustainability. He completed his Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences - Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (1986); also has a degree in Animal Science - Federal University of Paraná (2008); a Master's Degree in Genetics and Animal Breeding from the UNESP State University (1992); and Ph.D in Biology (Genetics) at the UNESP (1997). He has two Post-doctoral degrees, one in Animal Science, Missouri University, USA (2006/2007); and other in Florida Atlantic University – USA, in Genetics and Animal Conservation (2012/2013); He is a Full Professor in a UFMS; he has experience in Animal Science, with emphasis on Genetics and improvement of domestic animals, breeding and management of domestic animals, animal production, animal conservation, interaction domestic animals x wild animals, sustainability (buffaloes, horse, beef cattle).

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The Pantanal biome one of the most diverse for avifauna when compared to wetlands such as the Everglades (Florida), Okavango Delta (Africa), Llanos (Venezuela) and Esteros de Ibera (Argentina), where 650, 365, 450, 258 and 343 species are found, respectively. The aim was to survey the avifauna of two routes in the Pantanal wetland (BR419 and MS170), Aquidauna (MS), to determine the avifauna of the region and their distribution throughout the Americas.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: BR419 (Taboco road) between the coordinates 20°26'49''S 55°47'01''W and 19°52'50''S 55°29'41''W. The other transect was on MS170, Retirinho road, between 20°26'23''S 55°48'10''W and 19°53'13''S 56°01'29''W. The observation times alternated between both routes avoid biasing sampling by time of day, i.e. when MS170 was sampled in the morning, the same or next afternoon the BR419 transect was sampled, the next time the transects were reversed by time of day. Both transects were sampled for a total of 14 sampling events, obtaining a total of 103 hours and 06 minutes of observations.

Findings: Were observant 125 species, thus, 58 live just in South America (SA); 17 live in SA and Central America; 19 live the SA at México; 27 live at Mexico plus USA; two arrive Canadian [Falco sparverius and Tyrannus tyrannus]; and two cosmopolites [Pandionhaliaetus and Passer domesticus]. Using the classification of the IUCN (2017) one endangered species were observed [Buteogallus coronatus]; two near threatened [Pyrrhura devillei; Rhea Americana], and a two vulnerable [Sporophila maximiliani; Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus].

Conclusion & Significance: Many species in the Aquidauana region live only in SA, but others inhabit the of the Americas. It is important to have a comprehensive understanding of migration of these birds that have large ranges. This information is of paramount importance considering the possibility of dispersal of seeds, eggs, and even diseases. The study area should variety of species classified as endangered, vulnerable and near threatened.

Biography:

Dennis Owens is the president and senior chemist/microbiologist at Sustainable Water Technology. He has worked in the environmental remedial field since 1985 developing and commercializing remediation technologies for various companies in Canada and the United States.

Abstract:

Background Statement: Activated carbon (AC) has long been used to remove organic impurities from liquids and air. Generally, in the environmental field, we store AC inside vessels and then pump groundwater or air, contaminated with volatile organics, through the carbon vessel. This process injects AC into the contaminated mass itself to remediate the contaminants in-situ. AC has an affinity for organic chemicals, such as petroleum hydrocarbons, and organic chemicals will physically bond (absorb) to the micropores of the AC through Van der Waals forces. Once the chemicals are adsorbed to the carbon’s surface, the process generally can be reversed only by heating the carbon to very high temperatures, by use of a solvent, or through microbial processes. AC has been found to remain stable under extreme environmental conditions for long periods of time. The purpose of this study is to evaluate methods to stimulate biofilm formation to regenerate in-situ AC.

Methodology: Laboratory contaminated soil columns are injected with AC and various additives to stimulate biofilm formation throughout the AC. Each different soil type was then evaluated for types of microorganisms forming the biofilm and their effectiveness in regenerating the AC.

Findings: Different soil types produced the same basic biofilms composed of the same four basic organisms predominating with various subcultures specific to the area and soil type. All biofilms could regenerate the AC in-situ.

Conclusion: Biofilms can be formed in-situ within the AC area and in the process of biofilm formation the AC is regenerated for continuous remediation in-situ. Cost implications are significant for this remedial tool.

Biography:

Shuling Yu has her expertise in biodiversity offsetting, wetland ecology, wetland restoration, and wetland management. Wetlands are economically and ecologicall important ecosystems, but have been increasingly degraded by anthropogenic impacts. Her current project focuses on optimizing biodiversity offset strategies for degraded habitat from coastal reclamation.

Abstract:

Reclamation of coastal wetlands has a major impact on biodiversity globally. We investigated the feasibility of using biodiversity offsets to mitigate the impacts of coastal reclamation on biodiversity using impacts of reclamation on macrobenthic diversity in the Yellow River Delta region in China as a case study. We estimated 472 km2 of coastal wetlands have been reclaimed in the Yellow River Delta between 1980 and 2015, which is an average of 13.5 km2 of coastal wetland reclaimed per year. We developed a methodology to calculate biodiversity offset ratios for coastal wetlands using inputs including: biodiversity lost due to development and gained due to restoration offsets, the delay between reclamation and restoration, the amount of biodiversity lost due to leakage and an annual discount rate. Offset ratios were particularly sensitive to the baseline used for the counterfactual. However, the relatively short time it takes for macrobenthos to be restored in coastal wetlands suggests that biodiversity offsets are theoretically feasible for mitigating the impacts of reclamation on this assemblage. However, we estimated that the area of suitable land available within the Yellow River Delta was sufficient to offset 1980-2015 years of reclamation, which suggests that other strategies such as avoiding future reclamation and reducing the impacts of future reclamation on macrobenthos are also necessary if no net loss of microbenthic biodiversity is to be achieved in the Yellow River Delta Region of China. Our results have important implications for conservation in the face of ongoing coastal reclamation.

Biography:

L N Kakati is presently Head, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University, Nagaland, India and teaches Ecology & Environmental Biology, Biosystematics, Evolution and Bio statistics in the postgraduate level. He has more than 30 years of research experience of wild silk moth biology and travelled extensively in different hilly states of North Eastern region of India for exploration of wild silk moths. He completed three research projects and presently undertaking two new projects sponsored by different funding agencies in India. Four students have been conferred Ph.D degree under his guidance and four students are presently pursuing research with him. He visited Khonkaen University, Thailand and Tokyo Agricultural University Tokyo for presentation of scientific papers in International seminars. He attended 48 seminars, chaired in technical sessions and delivered lectures in seven seminars as invited Resource person/Keynote speaker. He is presently member of 12 scientific associations and published 70 research papers.

Abstract:

Rearing of six strains of Samia ricini (eri silk worm) i.e. Yellow plain (YP), Yellow spotted (YS), Yellow Zebra (YZ), Greenish blue plain (GBP), Greenish blue spotted (GBS) and Greenish blue zebra (GBZ) was conducted on Ricinus communis (Castor), Heteropanax fragrans (Kesseru), Evodia fraxinifolia (Payam) and Manihot utilissima (Tapioca) to evaluate the effect of seasonal pattern on larval duration and cocoon parameters in Nagaland, India. Larval duration during spring season was maximum in all strains in all food plants; however minimum for all strains was recorded during summer season on Castor, Kesseru and Tapioca. Cocoon weight was recorded to be minimum (2.8±2 0.55 gm) in YP on Kesseru and maximum (4.06±0.68 gm) in GBZ on Castor during spring season; shell weight fluctuated between 0.34±0.08 gm during spring in GBS on Kesseru and 0.58±0.09 gm during summer in YZ on Castor and percentage of silk ratio was found to be minimum and maximum in YP on Payam during spring (11.37±1.29) and in GBS on Castor during summer (16.05±1.59) respectively. The variation in larval duration and cocoon parameters reflected variatio  in nutrient composition of food plants and dynamic environment conditions prevailing in 1different seasons of the year. Payam andmTapioca plants could be fed either singly or alternately with Castor or Kesseru to attain the commercial advantage to ensure more value added production. While there were differences in the productivity parameters with respect to strains and seasons, the present study shows that all the strains on four host plants expressed adoptability and suitability for commercial rearing under Nagaland climatic condition.

Biography:

L N Kakati is presently Head, Department of Zoology, Nagaland University, Nagaland, India and teaches Ecology & Environmental Biology, Biosystematics, Evolution and Bio statistics in the postgraduate level. He has more than 30 years of research experience of wild silk moth biology and travelled extensively in different hilly states of North Eastern region of India for exploration of wild silk moths. He completed three research projects and presently undertaking two new projects sponsored by different funding agencies in India. Four students have been conferred Ph.D degree under his guidance and four students are presently pursuing research with him. He visited Khonkaen University, Thailand and Tokyo Agricultural University Tokyo for presentation of scientific papers in International seminars. He attended 48 seminars, chaired in technical sessions and delivered lectures in seven seminars as invited Resource person/Keynote speaker. He is presently member of 12 scientific associations and published 70 research papers

Abstract:

Rearing of six strains of Samia ricini (eri silk worm) i.e. Yellow plain (YP), Yellow spotted (YS), Yellow Zebra (YZ), Greenish blue plain (GBP), Greenish blue spotted (GBS) and Greenish blue zebra (GBZ) was conducted on Ricinus communis (Castor), Heteropanax fragrans (Kesseru), Evodia fraxinifolia (Payam) and Manihot utilissima (Tapioca) to evaluate the effect of seasonal pattern on larval duration and cocoon parameters in Nagaland, India. Larval duration during spring season was maximum in all strains in all food plants; however minimum for all strains was recorded during summer season on Castor, Kesseru and Tapioca. Cocoon weight was recorded to be minimum (2.8±2 0.55 gm) in YP on Kesseru and maximum (4.06±0.68 gm) in GBZ on Castor during spring season; shell weight fluctuated between 0.34±0.08 gm during spring in GBS on Kesseru and 0.58±0.09 gm during summer in YZ on Castor and percentage of silk ratio was found to be minimum and maximum in YP on Payam during spring (11.37±1.29) and in GBS on Castor during summer (16.05±1.59) respectively. The variation in larval duration and cocoon parameters reflected variatio  in nutrient composition of food plants and dynamic environment conditions prevailing in 1different seasons of the year. Payam andmTapioca plants could be fed either singly or alternately with Castor or Kesseru to attain the commercial advantage to ensure more value added production. While there were differences in the productivity parameters with respect to strains and seasons, the present study shows that all the strains on four host plants expressed adoptability and suitability for commercial rearing under Nagaland climatic condition.

Biography:

Zezheng Liu has his research interests in wetland ecology and hydrology, wetland restoration, and wetland management. Currently, he is particularly interested in how the interactive processes of ecological communities, such as competition, facilitation, and food web interactions, to structure their environments and influence fundamental ecosystem processes such as plant growth and productivity. Such fundamental theories on community assembly and ecosystem functioning has important implications for the restoration of damaged habitats.

Abstract:

With accelerating degradation of coastal environment worldwide, restoration has been elevated as a global strategy to enhance the functioning and social services of coastal ecosystems. While many developing countries suffer from intense coastal degradation, current understanding of the science and practice of their coastal restorations is extremely limited. Based on analysis of >1000 restoration projects, we provide the first synthesis of China’s coastal restorations. We show that China’s coastal restoration has recently entered a rapidly developing stage, with an increasing number of restoration projects carried out in multiple types of coastal ecosystems. While long-term, national-level restorations enforced by the government appear promising for some coastal ecosystems, especially mangroves, restorations of many other coastal ecosystems, such as salt marshes, seagrasses and coral reefs, have been much less implemented, likely due to under-appreciation of their ecosystem services values. Furthermore, the planning, techniques, research/assessment, and participation models underlying current restorations remain largely inadequate for restoration to effectively halt rapid coastal degradation. To promote success, we propose a framework where paradigms in current restorations from planning to implementation and assessment are transformed in multiple ways. Our study has broad implications for coastal environmental management policies and practices, and should inform sustainable development of coupled human-ocean systems in many countries.

Biography:

Guozhong Lyu has completed his Ph.D from Shenyang Agricultural University. He is the Dean of College of Environment and Resources, Dalian Nationalities University, China. He has published 150 papers mainly about fungal biodiversity, plant diseases and biocontrol of invasive weeds in academic journals

Abstract:

Soil fungi are an important group of microorganisms in forest ecosystem, they play pivotal roles in cycling of organic compounds and further affect the below-ground and above-ground ecosystems. In contrast to soil bacteria, soil fungi have been poorly understood in forest ecosytem. The rapid development of molecular technologies offers an effective method to access more functional information on soil fungal diversity. We applied the technique of Illumina Miseq High-Throughput Sequencing to investigate the soil fungal diversity and community structures in the northern slope of Changbai Mountain, Jiling Province, China, which is characterized with an evident vertical vegetation distribution pattern along with the altitude. The metagenome sequence analysis was conducted by targeting ITS1f-ITS2 fragments for 80 soil samples collected in the four characteristic forest vegetation bands ranging from the root of 700 m to the top of 2600 m in altitude, it reveals a tremendous abundance of soil fungi in Changbai mountain forest. Totally 2,294,552 rDNA fragments of reads are grouped into 25,282 operational taxonomic units (OUTs), they belong to 1056 species, 622 genera, 195 families, 87 orders, 24 classes and 5 phyla of fungi. Among which 182 genera are of Basidiomycota (48.72%), 411 genera of Ascomycota (31.67%), 13 genera of Zygomycota (10.21%), 13 genera of Chytridiomycota (0.27%), 3 genera of Glomeromycota (0.04%), and the left 9.09% are unclassfied taxa. The species of Basidiomycota are the predominant compents of the soil fungi in the mountain, especially the genera of Laccaria (6.17%), Inocybe (5.54%), Hygrocybe (3.06%), and Russula (2.37%) of Agricales. While the genera of Mortierella (6.73%) and Inocybe are most widely distributed in all altitude sampling soils in the mountain. The soil fungal richness evidently tends to decrease from the root to the top of the mountain, and the fungal compositions vary in the four characteristic vegetation bands of the mountain. The novel profile of soil fungi in the mountain uncovered by means of metagenome technique could not be obtained by conventional fungal research methods.

Biography:

Bon Joo Koo, Ph.D. Principal Research Scientist, Professor in UST Biological Oceanography & Marine Biology Division, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST)

Abstract:

Since the dyke construction the lake Sihwa has undergone unstable environments such as large fluctuation of salinity and oxygen due to irregular exchanges of water between the outer saline zone and the inner brackish one, inflow of a good deal of pollutants from non-point and point sources and water stagnancy. It indicates that the lake ecosystem has a variability of species composition and species density. Especially, benthic organisms lack the ability to cope up with changes in the environment because most of them are sedentary and have limited mobility, thus the variation gives rise to change in the community structure. The Sihwa macrobenthos have responded to the severe environment, which was reported in some previous studies. However, these studies referred to the succession of macro fauna for only three years of the initial stage after the dyke construction. In the present paper, I report on the long-term responses of the macrobenthos to the large variation in salinity and dissolved oxygen for fifteen years after the birth of the lake.

Biography:

Shaista Andleeb is Ph.D Scholar at the department of Wildlife Management, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan. She secured her MPhil degree from the same department, by conducting research work on the ecology of endangered Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in the Margallah Hills National Park, Islamabad, Pakistan. Recently working on the toxic effects of chromium on the reproductive physiology of small Indian mongooses, inhabiting the tannery areas of Kasur District, Pakistan. District Kasur is famous for having leather tannery industries and the surrounding environment is highly contaminated with chromium, being discharged by these industrial effluent, eventually the wildlife residing this contaminated area poses serious health problems.

Abstract:

Hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI), widely used in tanning industries, is a potent toxic metal whose accumulation in the animal body can adversely affect the reproductive organs. District Kasur, Pakistan, is famous for having tanneries industry where Cr (VI) is directly discharged untreated into the adjoining water nullahs. Resultantly, wildlife species, reliant on these water sources, are exposed to chromium toxicity, which enters into the animal body through drinking water and food chain. The current study investigated toxic effects of Cr(VI) on testicular tissue of adult small Indian mongoose inhabiting the study area from February 2015 to January 2016. Average Cr-concentrations, in experimental area soil and water, and the blood and tissue samples of the species were found significantly higher compared to control. Average body and testicular weights of experimental animals were found reduced. Histological analysis revealed seminiferous tubules disorganized in experimental animals, depleted germ cells and hyperplasia of the Leydig cells. Sperm counts were found reduced. Serum testosterone and LH levels were found reduced while FSH levels increased in experimental animals. The study concludes that Cr being discharged from tanneries into the environment is up taken by small Indian mongoose leading to severe testicular tissue damage and potential impairment of reproductive function of the species.

Biography:

Muhammad Javed Iqbal is a Ph.D Scholar at University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. He is working on diversity of plant viruses especially on Begomovirus (A genus of ssDNA virus family, Geminiviridae) and on RNAi based endogenous resistance development against these viruses. He is much interested in evolving potential of these viruses in the changing climate and agro-ecological systems. This work can be helpful for a large scientific community who are fighting these pathogens for global food and agriculture security.

Abstract:

Pakistan is an agriculture based mono-crop economy largely dependent on cotton with 4th rank in production and 3rd in consumption globally. For last few decades cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD) caused by a group of Begomovirus, is been provednto be havoc for cotton production in Pakistan with two major epidemic outbreaks after 1990s ($5 billion loss in less than five years) and still a nightmare for country as they possess great evolving potential due to diverse and changing climate and cropping practices in cotton growing zone. Globally this virus has been reported from India, and several countries of Africa after Pakistan and now from China and Philippine too threatening the Australia and America with Large infestation of Begomovirus vector, White fly (Bemisia tabaci). The targeted virus has great recombination and resistance breaking capabilities specially therefore a constant eye is required on it to predict its genetic behavior and possible recombination. In current study diversity dynamics of Begomovirus has been study in different wild and cultivated hosts along with cotton with coat protein marker, to evaluate the host range of virus, either are they restricted to hosts or have multiple or shared host, in same way the viruses in cotton and non-cotton regions of Pakistan are evaluated. From 25 plant samples 13 different Begomovirus were identified. Six different samples were with mix viral infection, 7 different wild weeds were proved to be reservoir of Begomovirus. 7 viruses were common in different locations 4 plants were hosting different viruses in different locations, 7 viruses were found in multiple locations and There were 13 new reports of viruses and host which were not known before. Facts revealed that in favoring multiple cropping Begomovirus have developed utmost important infection patterns which favor them to recombine and evolve better to overcome host resistance in short time.

Biography:

Amira Abd El Hamid Helaly Ali has her expertise in Agriculture Science. She has experience in the field of plant breeding as the subject of her Master’s theses and also in the field of organic farming using natural alternatives in fertilization, in which she studied the possibility of reducing the NPK mineral fertilization, through using a foliar spray seaweed extract concentrations without compromising the production value of the sweet potato plants. She has built this model after years of experience in research, evaluation, teaching and administration in education institutions.

Abstract:

Two field experiments were carried out at the Agriculture Experimental Station Farm (Abies region), Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University; during the two summer seasons of 2013 and 2014. The objective of this study was to assess the response of sweet potato plants (Abies cv.) to the spraying with three concentrations of seaweed extract (0.5%, 0.75% and 1.0%), as well as a control treatment (spraying with distilled water) under, varying NPK levels of mineral fertilizer (25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the recommended rate, in addition to a control treatment, without NPK application) and their interactions on vegetative growth characters, yield and its components as well as on some chemical compositions characters of tuber roots. The results revealed that the gradual increases of NPK fertilizer levels were accompanied with significant increases on sweet potato growth, yield and its components as well as the chemical composition of tuber roots. Spraying of sweet potato plants with seaweed extract at the concentration of 0.75% led to positive response on the all studied traits, in both growing seasons. Generally, the most efficient treatment combination which gave the best sweet potato growth, yield and tuber roots chemical compositions was the application of NPK mineral fertilizer, at the rate of 75% of the recommended, with seaweed foliar spray at the concentration of 0.75%. On this regard, it is possible to reduce the NPK mineral fertilization by 25%, through using a foliar spray of 0.75% seaweed extract concentration without compromising the production value of the sweet potato plants, concerning the quantity and quality of tuber roots.

Biography:

Andrew Jamnik is currently a second year MSc candidate at the University of Toronto working under the supervision of Dr. David Guttman. His research has focused on understanding the evolutionary steps a plant pathogen takes to overcome novel host immunity, and to cause disease on a new host. He has specifically been working with the model bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and has designed and implemented in vivo experimental evolution to uncover the evolutionary steps required for novel host adaptation. Throughout his graduate degree, he has learned both invaluable microbiology skills along with a better understanding of evolutionary genomic analyses.

Abstract:

The bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae is a highly diverse species complex, with the ability to cause disease on a wide range of hosts, including many economically important crops. Although P. syringae as a species has a very large host range, individual strains are highly host specific. The inability of a strain to infect plant species outside of its host range is generally due to its inability to suppress and evade the host’s innate immunity. Few studies to date have tested how plant pathogens evolve to overcome novel host immunity, and a further understanding of this could help in uncovering how newly emerging diseases arise. In this study, we are currently experimentally evolving P. syringae pv. phaseolicola (Pph) 1448A, a strain which causes disease on many cultivars of the common bean (Phaseolus vulagris), on the non-host Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) through in planta experimental evolution. Although Pph 1448A is unable to cause disease on Arabidopsis, its ability to grow and persist on Arabidopsis has given this strain the potential to adapt within this novel environment. We have constructed 12 uniquely barcoded hyper mutating lineages of Pph 1448A for this experiment, to increase the evolvability of the lineages and to allow us to study mutations associated with adaptation towards Arabidopsis. By using highly sensitive in planta competition assays on Arabidopsis, we’ve shown that after 80 days of in planta growth on Arabidopsis, two lineages have shown significant gains in fitness on the novel host. Additionally, one of these lineages has shown a gradual increase in fitness throughout the experimental evolution. Population sequencing of these adapted lineages will give us the ability to identify candidate mutations responsible for this novel host adaptation. Overall, this work will provide a further understanding of the early adaptive processes underlying the spread of existing pathogens to new hosts.

Biography:

Catherine Cesa-Luna has completed her bachelor’s degree in Clinical Chemistry in 2012 from Universidad Veracruzana, México and obtained her master’s degree in Microbiologic Sciences (Medical Microbiology) in 2016 at the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico; where she is currently pursuing her Ph.D in microbiology. She is evaluating the antimicrobial activity of synthetic IsCT-like peptides derived from scorpion venoms on bacteria of clinical interest and also working on the purification and identification of compounds related to the activity of the inhibitory substance produced by Pseudomonas sp. EMM-1.

Abstract:

Bacteria may exhibit antagonistic interactions to compete for space and nutrients in their habitat. This competition has been mainly evaluated by double-layer agar and simultaneous inhibition assays. The best known antagonistic bacteria are Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Streptomyces, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Escherichia and Burkholderia due to their potential to produce inhibitory substances such as broad-spectrum antibiotics, organic acids, siderophores, antifungal and bacteriocins. Our study model, Pseudomonas sp. EMM-1, is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from contaminated soil highly competitive due to the production of one or more inhibitory substances. It has been demonstrated its antimicrobial activity against diverse beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms including the genera Bradyrhizobium, Azotobacter, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella and Burkholderia; as well as the phytopathogenic fungi Pantoea and Fusarium. In this work the ability of Pseudomonas sp. EMM-1 to inhibit diverse fungi isolated from soil and plants with fungal diseases, such as Aspergillum and Fusarium was verified by the double-layer agar assay, leading us to assume its potential as biocontrol agent.

Biography:

María del Pilar Angarita Díaz has a degree in Microbiology and Ph.D in Biotechnology. The knowledge in these topics has allowed her to contribute in the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, in different studies such as probiotics for caries prevention and control, and microbiologic analysis of dental material. She teaches in the area of the oral microbiology, knowledge that is enriched with the research

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: Among the alternatives strategies to antibiotics are other antimicrobial substances like bacteriocins. However, since their production and purification is laborious and costly, an attractive approach is the administration of probiotic bacteria with bacteriocin-producing capabilities. These types of probiotic bacteria like Lactobacillus rhamnosus isolated from the intestinal tract and Streptococcus dentisani isolated from the oral cavity have been studied for diseases control. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of supernatants from L. rhamnosus and S. dentisani on S. mutans.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Broth cultures of L. rhamnosus G G and S. dentisani 7746 were prepared with 100 nephelometric turbidity units and grown overnight to reach stationary phase. The cultures were centrifuged at 4000rpm for 10min, and the supernatants recovered and filtered to remove any bacteria cells. 100μl of each supernatant were added to 100μl of fresh culture of serotype c strains S. mutans UA159 and ATCC 25175 at 108 CFUs/ml in a 96-wells plate. Controls were 100μl of S. mutans strains with 100μl culture medium used for the growing of each probiotic bacteria (BHI for S. dentisani and MRS for L. rhamnosus). The 96-wells plate was incubated at 37°C inside a UV/V are spectrophotometry reader and the absorbance was monitoring at 600nm every 20minutes for 15h.

Findings: The supernatants of S. dentisani 7746 and L. rhamnosus GG present an inhibitory effect against the cariogenic strains S. mutans 25175 and UA 159. The inhibition with the supernatant of L. rhamnosus was immediate while with the supernatant of S. dentisani was significant after 3h (p=0.038, T-student).

Conclusion & Significance: The use of supernatants from probiotic bacteria S. dentisani and L. rhamnosus has an inhibitory effect against two strains of cariogenic S. mutans. Further studies are recommended with different supernatant concentration.

Biography:

Madina Bekchanova has her skill in evaluation of ecosystem services and motivation of enhancing spatial localization of each component of ecosystem services. Her thesis is based on analyzing Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) and its association with different landscapes. After having taken sufficient amount of Master courses in Integrated Ecosystem Assessment, she started to write her thesis. Her thesis is mainly for representing the significance of landscapes in the provision of cultural ecosystem services and tourists perception of CES in different landscapes. In order to analyze tourists perception she used econometric model and simultaneously, she used GIS tools to classify various landscapes. This research can be very helpful for decision makers to plan further operations.

Abstract:

Landscapes are the main resources of providing the sufficient amount of ecosystem services like the provision of food and material, provision of cultural ecosystem services such as recreation, aesthetics or spirituality. However, cultural ecosystem services are rarely studied and little is known about spatial localization of these services. In this research, a framework is adopted and tested in order to classify and map the provision of cultural ecosystem services as observed by tourists in Ugam Chotqol National Nature Park, i.e. Tashkent region in Uzbekistan. In this study a photo-based questionnaire survey is joined with cartographical images of landscape classes to obtain hot and cold spot provision areas of cultural ecosystem services. Statistical analysis is used to represent influences of the respondents’ socio- demographic background and land-use type on the tourists’ perception of these services. According to the results, each of the studied cultural ecosystem services, showed the various spatial patterns on the basis of its distribution and in different landscapes to which they are related. Specifically, traditionally survived areas, located in highlands between 1200 and 3500m asi are considered as hotspot areas for recreational activities, aesthetic beauty and cultural heritage. While, the lowland plains of the study area mainly provide tourists with the spirituality. Results demonstrate that for the tourist perception the highest influence is obtained from land use type, while other aspects such socio demographic factors (gender, age, cultural background, environmental behaviour) and respondents perceived importance of the services are significant but they play subordinate role. It can be concluded that, spatial information about the provision of cultural ecosystem services can help us to design further implementation of land use policies.

Biography:

Madina Bekchanova has her skill in evaluation of ecosystem services and motivation of enhancing spatial localization of each component of ecosystem services. Her thesis is based on analyzing Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) and its association with different landscapes. After having taken sufficient amount of Master courses in Integrated Ecosystem Assessment, she started to write her thesis. Her thesis is mainly for representing the significance of landscapes in the provision of cultural ecosystem services and tourists perception of CES in different landscapes. In order to analyze tourists perception she used econometric model and simultaneously, she used GIS tools to classify various landscapes. This research can be very helpful for decision makers to plan further operations.

Abstract:

Landscapes are the main resources of providing the sufficient amount of ecosystem services like the provision of food and material, provision of cultural ecosystem services such as recreation, aesthetics or spirituality. However, cultural ecosystem services are rarely studied and little is known about spatial localization of these services. In this research, a framework is adopted and tested in order to classify and map the provision of cultural ecosystem services as observed by tourists in Ugam Chotqol National Nature Park, i.e. Tashkent region in Uzbekistan. In this study a photo-based questionnaire survey is joined with cartographical images of landscape classes to obtain hot and cold spot provision areas of cultural ecosystem services. Statistical analysis is used to represent influences of the respondents’ socio- demographic background and land-use type on the tourists’ perception of these services. According to the results, each of the studied cultural ecosystem services, showed the various spatial patterns on the basis of its distribution and in different landscapes to which they are related. Specifically, traditionally survived areas, located in highlands between 1200 and 3500m asi are considered as hotspot areas for recreational activities, aesthetic beauty and cultural heritage. While, the lowland plains of the study area mainly provide tourists with the spirituality. Results demonstrate that for the tourist perception the highest influence is obtained from land use type, while other aspects such socio demographic factors (gender, age, cultural background, environmental behaviour) and respondents perceived importance of the services are significant but they play subordinate role. It can be concluded that, spatial information about the provision of cultural ecosystem services can help us to design further implementation of land use policies.

Biography:

Sumeet Singh is currently a Ph.D scholar of Vegetable Science at Punjab Agricultural University and has completed his Master’s and Bachelor’s from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. He is engaged with one of the pioneer research work of Vegetable grafting in Punjab and has achieved merit fellowship

Abstract:

In an experiment conducted at vegetable research farm, PAU Ludhiana in 2012-13, a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of integrated weed management in brinjal cv. BH-6747. The experiment was conducted both in nursery and in field crop. Nine different weed control treatments were used in nursery experiment which included solarization (30 days before sowing), pendimethali 0.225 kg a.i./ha, pendimethalin 0.300 kg a.i./ha, oxyfloufen 0.120 kg a.i./ha, oxyflourfen 0.175 kg a.i./ha, trifluralin 0.240 kg a.i./ha, trifluralin 0.300 kg a.i./ha along with weed free and un-weeded plot. Pendimethalin and oxyflourfen were used as pre-emergence and trifulralin was used as pre-plant herbicide. Minimum dry weight was recorded in chemical treated plots of oxyfloufen 0.175 kg a.i./ ha as compared to rest of treatments which indicated maximum weed control in nursery. In field experiment fifteen different weed control treatments were used which included black plastic mulch, herbicides and manual weeding. Pendimethalin 0.75 a.i.kg/ha, pendimethalin 0.56 a.i.kg/ha alone and then pendimethalin 0.56 a.i.kg/ha integrated with hand weeding (45 DAT) and then with directed spray of gramaxone 1.0 a.i.kg/ha (45 DAT) was used. Similarly, it was used with oxyflourfen 0.15 a.i.kg/ha and with trifluralin 0.60 a.i.kg/ha. Minimum dry weight was achieved in black polythene mulch followed by oxyflourfen integrated with hand weeding. Other attributes like plant height, number of branches, fruit weight, fruit girth and length and total yield were superior in black mulch treatment followed by oxyflourfen integrated with hand weeding. Maximum gross return was in black mulch followed by oxyflourfen 0.15 a.i.kg/ha+hand weeding (45 DAT). It is thus concluded from the present investigation oxyflourfen 0.175 kg a.i./ha can be used in the nursery of brinjal while oxyfloufen 0.15 kg a.i./ha followed by hand weeding after 45 days after transplanting can be recommended in brinjal crop to get maximum benefit

Biography:

Dilpreet Talwar is currently a student of Ph.D program in which he is specializing in Vegetable Science at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He has done his Bachelor’s of Sciences in Agriculture with Horticulture as an elective and Masters in Vegetable Science. It was his capacity that he kept up with his co -curricular activities as a PAU magazine editor (Punjabi Section, year 2014-15). He got University merit scholarship during 3rd and 4th semester of his masters.

Abstract:

Biofertilizers improve the nutrient uptake and quality attributes of onion by reducing the inorganic fertilizers dose and improving the farmer’s income. The study was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. In an experiment, fifteen treatments comprised of various combinations of biofertilizers, organic manures and chemical fertilizers were compared. Biofertilizers improve the nutrient status of the soil because Azotobacter and Azospirillum provide nitrogen to plant and soil by fixation process. The results revealed that N and K level in soil at time of harvesting was maximum in T3 (Azospirillum along with recommended dose of N, P and K) while P level was found to be maximum in T5 (PSB along with recommended dose of N, P and K). Maximum TSS, Ascorbic acid and dry matter was attained with Azospirillum along with recommended dose of N, P and K followed by Azospirillum along with 75 % dose of N and full dose of P and K and it was significantly superior than control treatment. It may be concluded that Azospirillum either along with RDF or with 75 % dose of N suggested for sustainable production of onion.

Biography:

Barinderpal Singh is currently a student of Master’s program in which he is specializing in Vegetable Sciences at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. He will complete his Master by May 2017. He has been engaged in pioneer research work “Integrated nutrient management in tomato”. He has done his Bachelor of Sciences in Agriculture with Horticulture as an elective.

Abstract:

Bio-fertilizers are living microorganisms, derived from roots or soil, which improve the soil microbial content, growth and yield attributes in rainy season tomato. In an experiment, 14 treatments comprising of various combinations of bio-fertilizers, organic manures and chemical fertilizers were compared to assess the impact of different sources of nutrients on performance of tomato. The results revealed that plant height after 30, 60 and 90 days of transplanting, number of branches per plant, number of fruits per plant and leaf surface area was found to be maximum with the application of Azotobacter along with recommended dose of fertilizers (T1). Likewise, application of Azospirilum along with recommended dose of fertilizers (T3) produced maximum fruit weight, fruit diameter and total yield. Highest soil organic carbon content (0.38 %) was observed in the treatments T11 (FYM @ 20 t/ha along with Azotobacter and Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM)) and T12 (Farm Yard Manure (FYM) @ 20 t/ha). Highest bacterial count (26.2×106) and actinomycetes count (36×104) was recorded in treatment T12 (FYM @ 20 t/ha). It can be concluded that, the application of Azotobacter along with recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers improve vegetative growth, while Azospirillium along with recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers improves yield attributes in rainy season tomato as far as the sustainability and environmental considerations are concerned. The present study highlights the need of usage of bio-fertilizers along with organic and inorganic manures/fertilizers to enhance the nutrient availability and improve soil health.

Biography:

Kamalpreet Kaur is currently a student of Ph.D program in which she is specializing in Extension Education at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. She will complete her Doctorate by June 2017. She has done her Bachelor of Sciences in Agriculture with Agronomy as an elective and Master’s in Agricultural Extension Education.

Abstract:

Artificial application of water to soil or crop is known as irrigation. The increased competition for water between agricultural, industrial and urban consumers creates the need for continuous improvement of irrigation practices in commercial vegetable production. At present, the efficiency of the irrigation systems adopted is less than 30%. The design of study was descriptive research. To know the status of micro-irrigation, review was collected by evaluating the research work done on micro-irrigation in vegetables. With the use of surface and sub-surface irrigation methods, ground level of water is depleting day by day in India and Punjab. In Punjab, 110 blocks out of 142 blocks were under dark zone of water. In case of vegetables, more number of irrigation is required due to more number of harvests. In the last decade, micro-irrigation technologies are very helpful to enhance the profit of farmers by improving the water use efficiency. Major micro-irrigation technologies are drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. The results reveal that micro irrigation is a water saving technique, reduces the energy use; increasing yield and quality of crops, reduce weed problems, soil erosion and cost of cultivation in labour-intensive operations in tomato, chilli, brinjal, capsicum, cucumber and sweet potato etc. It improves the water use efficiency by reducing the water losses and evapo-transipiration losses from fields. Farmers did not adopt micro-irrigation technologies due to complex practices, lack of knowledge, problem of dripper clogging and high initial investments. It can be concluded that there is need to promote these technologies by organizing camps at farmer field/block level or by providing subsidy to farmers or by creating awareness about declining water table to farmers so that farmers should adopt micro-irrigation technologies which helps to improve the water table of soil.

Biography:

Zufan Nigusu, an MSc holder in biology from Addis Ababa University, is among the few female scientists in Ethiopia who brought change in management of spices, non- edible oil crops and condiments related to the environment. She has had an influence on the development of a new perspective on the use and management of spices, non- edible oil crops and condiments in Ethiopia. Her suggestions got attention by the government and brought a significant change on the ecosystem by preserving the spices, non-edible oil crops and condiments that were about to disappear from the face of the earth. She is an enthusiastic female scientist working hard to bring about change both on-site and in the classroom.

Abstract:

A study aimed at identifying and documenting local uses and management of of spices, condiments and non-edible oil crops in five selected sites in Northern Ethiopia was conducted. A total of 78 informants which consists, 6 agricultural experts, 12 spice vendors, 45 garden owners and 15 cultivated field owners were encountered. This study documented the traditional knowledge of the local people on using, managing and other ethnobotanical aspects based on information through semi-structured interview, field observation, market survey and informant consensus methods. 27 spices and condiments (92.6% herbs, 3.7% shrubs and tree), three non-edible oil crops, Jatropha curcas, Ricinus communis and Vernonia galamensis were collected from homegardens, farmlands, and wild habitats. Local uses and their distribution and traditional conservation methods are noted. Altitudinal ranges, habit, habitat of spices, condiments, and non- edible oil crop plants were documented. Results of preference ranking on 7 spices and condiments showed that Capsicum annum, Allium sativum, Capsicum frutescens, Ruta chalepnesis, Ocimum basilicum, Trigonella foenum-graecum and Nigella sativa are the most common food flavorings in the area. Allium sativum is the most preferred medicinal spice followed by Ruta chalepnesis, Lepidium sativum, Foeniculum vulgare and Artemisia absinthium. The most threatening factors include replacement of spices and condiments by cash crops, grazing, scarcity of water, Pests, and ill-advised method of harvesting. The day to day uses of spices, condiments, non-edible oil crops and plants requires administrative and conservation activities. Technical support from the government and non-government organization to boost the production within the boundary of the agroecosystem is recommended.

Biography:

Ouafae Pakhrou got her Master’s degree in crop production and during her end-of-course internship she worked on the molecular characterization of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) using molecular markers ISSR and SSR. recently, she obtained her Doctorat in Molecular biology and plant biotechnology and worked on the characterization of genetic diversity of an endemic tree to Morocco "Argan tree". This study aims to identify promising trees that can be used in the constitution of a "core collection" and the establishment of conservation and management programs. This work is carried out in the Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology at the Faculty of Sciences of Rabat University Mohamed V and financially supported by Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology (Morocco)

Abstract:

Argania spinosa L., the only representative of the monotypic genus Argania (Sapotaceae) is a plant endemic to Morocco with great ecological and economical values. The oil extracted from the Argan fruit possesses innumerable nutritional and cosmetic properties. However, the area and the density of the argan forest are in continuous deterioration. In the present study, two molecular marker techniques AFLP and IRAP were used for genetic evaluation of 130 individuals collected from 13 population locations in south-west Morocco. A total of 477 polymorphic bands were amplified by 4 primer AFLP combinations specific to regular genome, and 154 polymorphic bands were observed using 4 IRAP combination primers. Average polymorphic information content (PIC), resolving power (RP) and marker index (MI) were 0.24, 12.7 and 9.40, respectively for IRAP markers, while AFLP markers showed high resolving power (35.81) and Marker index (25.61), also the polymorphic information content was 0.21. The two-marker techniques target different regions of the genome, which justifies the need to combine two markers in obtaining reliable estimates of genetic diversity. Cluster analysis of the combined data revealed that 130 individuals could be divided into two sub-populations based on STRUCTURE, UPGMA (Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean) clustering, and PCoA (principal coordinate analyses). The Jaccard's genetic similarity ranged from 0.17 to 0.60 and the genetic differentiation among populations was low (AMOVA = 19%, Gst = 0.21), indicating the possibility of gene flow between the studied populations (Nm= 1,809). These results have an important implication for Argan tree germplasm conservation and management programs.

Biography:

Chaimaa Yatrib is Ph.D at Mohammed V university, Faculty of science in Rabat. She is interested in the study of genetic diversity and application of news molecular tools to the conservation of endangered species. She is currently working on the case of Argania spinosa. in the framework of the project ArganBiogen. This latter is supported by Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology (Morocco) and The Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Professional Training of
Morocco.

Abstract:

The argan tree (Argania spinosa L.) is an oil-agro-forestry-pastoral tree that is endemic to Morocco and with a very important socio-economical role. However and due to drought in the early century the argan ecosystem has become overgrazed. This phenomenon combined with overexploitation of argan for fuel, together with land clearance for agriculture, resulted in an alarming reduction of the argan forest. In order to facilitate extensive examination at genetic, phenotypic, and physiological levels and to provide a subset of representative accessions, it is necessary to construct a core collection based on molecular data. In the present study, and for the first time, a core collection of argan tree was constructed from accessions covering all the argan forest’s distribution area in Morocco by heuristic search and based on 13 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) marker combinations. Our study showed that the relationship between the core collection and the geographic distribution of the entire collection is very weak. Also, the number of amplification bands in the core collection was the same as in the entire collection (245 alleles). Shannon’s index for only one of the SSR primers (7.69%) and Nei’s index for three of the SSR primers (23.07%) were lower in the core collection than in the entire collection. The comparison of the random core collection and the true core collection showed that the latter retained larger genetic diversity. Altogether, the core collection constructed in our study is representative of the genetic diversity of and could help perform effective conservation strategy to preserve the Argan forest in Morocco.