Preliminary Study on the Control of Kiwifruit Canker by 6%Ascorbic Acid Water Aqua

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the control efficacy of 6% ascorbic acid water aqua on kiwifruit bacterial canker. [Methods]The ascorbic acid water aqua was sprayed onto annual potted kiwifruit seedlings once every 5 d,for three times in total,and Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae was inoculated by needle punching 7 d later. Scab diameter and number of newly infected scab were investigated to analyze the control efficacy. [Results] Kiwifruit plants were treated with 6% ascorbic acid water aqua,and after 30 d,the 20 mg/L treatment showed an incidence rate of 25. 5%,and the 60 mg/L treatment exhibited an incidence rate only of 12. 1%; and after 60 d,the relative control efficacy reached 90. 7% at the mass concentration of 60 mg/L. [Conclusions] The6% ascorbic acid water aqua weakened the destruction and expansion of the pathogen in plants,effectively improved the resistance in kiwifruit plants,and had certain control efficacy on kiwifruit canker.

Cold Plasma:A Potential Alternative for Rice Grain Postharvest Treatment Management in Malaysia

Use of pesticides,herbicides and fertilizers is among the techniques to control insect pests and fungal pathogens.However,the technique is the major contributor to severe environmental implications in terms of air,water and soil pollution.Besides,variable inconsistency becomes an important issue in the implementation of inclined bed dryers,leading to significant rice grain loss.Cold plasma technology has been widely proposed as a potential alternative for rice grain postharvest treatment management due to the presence of generated ionised gas that eventually produces reactive oxygen species or reactive nitrogen species.These species are used to decontaminate foodborne pathogens,mycotoxins and bacterial diseases.This review explores the current literature regarding cold plasma treatment technology,focusing on its efficiency as the microbial decontamination medium and insect pest mortality medium,and on the enhancement functional,nutritional and cooking properties,especially in rice grains.Previous studies have successfully demonstrated the ability of cold plasma treatment to significantly reduce the microbial count of foodborne pathogens,detoxify mycotoxins,and control seedborne rice seedling bacterial diseases.Previous studies have also proved that the implementation of cold plasma technology in postharvest management should be seriously considered for improving rice grain quantity and quality in Malaysia.

Controllable Protein Adsorption and Bacterial Adhesion on Polypyrrole Nanocone Arrays

In this research, polypyrrole nanocone arrays doped with β-Naphthalene sulphonic acid （PPy-NSA） were built. This film was expected to control protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion by potential-induced reversibly redox. The scanning Kelvin probe microscopy （SKPM） and surface contact angles （SCA） tests suggested that the surface potential and wettability of PPy-NSA nanocone arrays could be controlled by simply controlling its redox property via applying potential. The controllable surface potential and wettability in return controlled the adsorption of protein and adhesion of bacteria. The proposed material might find application in the preparation of smart biomaterial surfaces that can regulate proteins and bacterial adhesion by a simple potential switching.

NEW STRATEGIES FOR THE CONTROL OF BACTERIAL INFECTIONS: MODULATORS OF QUORUM SENSING AND BIOFILM FORMATION FROM MALAGASY DALBERGIA SPECIES

Considering the WHO warning about the emergence of a’post-antibiotic’era during the 21st century in which common infections and minor injuries will have a dramatic impact on human death toll,search for new potential antibacterial drug targets became a necessary need.Targets that are extensively explored concern the modulation