The study was performed to investigate the Aspergillus growth and aflatoxin production in fresh pistachios stored in different packagings. Forty kg of fresh pistachios of the Abbasali cultivar were sampled and kept in different temperature conditions including 4°C and ambient conventional temperatures in plastic baskets or polyethylene plastic bags. Sub-samples were taken at 4 days intervals for 32 days to measure aflatoxin and evaluate the population of Aspergillus section Flavi. Aflatoxins were quantified by HPLC and the fungal population was monitored by dilution series method and AFPA medium. The results showed that on the first day of storage in all conditions the amount of aflatoxin was undetectable. Aflatoxin infection started on the fourth day after storage in the ambient conventional temperature and increased over time. The lowest production of aflatoxin B1 was in the 4°C treatment. Pistachios stored at ambient conventional temperature and packed in plastic baskets showed the highest amount of aflatoxin B1 production. The effect of the treatments on the production of aflatoxin B1 showed that the samples in polyethylene plastic bags at ambient temperature were the highest. The results showed that in the 4°C treatment, the fungal population was significantly less than in ambient temperature treatments. The lowest fungal population was in the 4°C plastic baskets packaged treatment. This treatment was not significantly different from the 4°C polyethylene bag treatment but was significantly different from other treatments (P≤0.01). In general, keeping fresh pistachio at 4°C and suitable plastic is trustworthy. Storage for more than 8 days in the ambient conventional temperature greatly increases the risk of fungal and aflatoxin contamination. پرونده مقاله

Aflatoxins, are very toxic mixture and having the potential to cause cancer, produce by some the fungi, mostly Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, during their growth, harvest and storage on crops such as wheat, corn, cottonseed, peanut, pistachio, etc. For appraising the reaction of maize varieties to A. flavus growth and produced aflatoxin, five varieties of maize, namely KSC400, KSC403, KSC600, KSC703, KSC704, were selected. An isolate A. flavus that produce afalatoxin was used for inoculation of maize kernels (as in vitro conditions). In a statistic completely random design with three replications, 10 gr of kernels of selected cultivars were inoculated with 1×106 spores/ml of fungal spore suspension. After eight days, the percentage of fungal growth and the colonization of maize kernels were calculated. The aflatoxin B1 produced in contaminated all maize cultivars were measured with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Statistical analyses showed a significant difference (α=0.05) between the fungal growth percentages and the amount of aflatoxin B1 in the kernels of tested maize cultivars. Also, the results showed that among mentioned varieties, KSC600 was the least susceptible variety to the growth of Aspergillus. The amount of produced aflatoxin B1 was variable among the varieties. KSC600 had the least whereas KSC403 had the highest rate of aflatoxin B1 content. پرونده مقاله

Infection of pistachio nuts with Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin is one of the serious and important threats in the process of production, export, and consumption of pistachios in the world. Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites that are mainly produced by A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxins are generally produced before harvesting and under horticultural conditions. Early-splitting pistachios are one of the most significant sources of contamination to aflatoxigenic fungi in the orchard. In the present study, the population density of Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin content were investigated in early-splitting, irregular cracking, and intact pistachios of the Shahpasand cultivar. Sampling was done from the pistachio orchard of Damghan Pistachio Research Station in the first half of August, and pistachio kernel contamination and population density of the fungus were investigated. Pistachio samples were cultured on an AFPA medium using a serial dilution method (completely randomized design with three repetitions). Aspergillus section Flavi colonies were identified and counted and after three days at 28°C and dark. Aflatoxin contents of pistachio kernels were quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The results were statistically analyzed by SPSS statistical software and the means were compared using Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed that the highest and the lowest contamination rates for Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin have belonged to early-splitting and intact nuts, respectively (P≤0.05). The contamination rate in early splitting pistachios is much higher than in irregular cracking and intact kernel pistachios. پرونده مقاله

Peach leaf curl disease, caused by Taphrina deformans (Berk.) Tul., is one of the most serious peach diseases, causing quantitative and qualitative damage to crops across Iran each year. In current study, the efficacy of two new fungicides, Badge®WG280 and Barzidox®WP85%, was evaluated in controlling peach leaf curl disease. The experiment was conducted in Golestan, Semnan and North Khorasan using a randomized complete block design with ten treatments and four replications. Treatments included 0.75, 1, and 1.2 ml l-1 of Badge®WG280 (copper hydroxid+copper oxychloride), 2, 4, and 6 g.l-1 of Barzidox®WP85% (copperoxychloride), 2.5 ml l-1 of Nordox®WG75% (copperoxide(, 3 g l-1 of Captan, and controls (with and without water spraying). Treatments were applied at three physiological stages (the first in autumn after the leaves had fallen, the second at the end of March before the bud had swollen, and the third after the petals had dropped). Disease incidence and severity percentage were determined. Duncan's multiple range test was used to compare the mean disease severity and incidence percentages. The results showed that 6g l-1 of Barzidox® had the highest efficacy in reducing disease severity compared to the control in Golestan and Semnan provinces, with 81% and 80% respectively. Furthermore, the best performance of two indicator fungicides, Nordox® and Captan were 73% and 72% in Golestan province and 67% and 68%, in Semnan province, respectively. According to the results, it is concluded that 1.2ml.l-1 of Badge® and 4g.l-1 of Barzidox® have the best efficiency in controlling the peach leaf curl disease. پرونده مقاله

The common pistachio psyllid is one of the most important pests of pistachio trees throughout the pistachio-producing regions in Iran. In the present research, the extracts of some medicinal plants were used to study their inhibitory effect on oviposition and population rates of nymphs of common pistachio psyllid. To evaluate the effect of several medicinal herb extracts (Thyme, Eucalyptus, and Chamomile) on the psyllid, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The extracts were sprayed at concentrations of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 per thousand. Sampling was performed in four stages; 3, 7, 14, and 21 days after spraying. The results showed that among different types of plant extracts, thyme extract was the most effective product on the reduction of population rate of eggs and nymphs of the common pistachio psyllid, although the extract of other medicinal plants, eucalyptus and chamomile, were also reduced the rates of egg and nymph. The dose of 7.5 per thousand of all extracts showed a better effect on the number of insect eggs and nymphs. In addition, the results indicated the better effect of these products on the number of insect eggs and nymphs appeared at 14 and 21 days after spraying. پرونده مقاله