New Jersey light trap data from 1993, a year with unusually high amounts of precipitation, and 1994 were compared with mean light trap counts for the previous 8-10 years in each of 6 locations. The study took place in Iowa. In 1993, Aedes trivittatus and Culex tarsalis populations were unchanged. Anopheles punctipennis and Culex pipiens complex populations were significantly higher, and Aedes v...

There is increasing evidence that microbial volatiles (VOCs) play an important role in natural suppression of soil-borne diseases, but little is known on the factors that influence production of suppressing VOCs. In the current study we examined whether a stress-induced change in soil microbial community composition would affect the production by soils of VOCs suppressing the plant-pathogenic o...

Leaf composts were studied for their suppressive effects on Pythium ultimum sporangium germination, cottonseed colonization, and the severity of Pythium damping-off of cotton. A focus of the work was to assess the role of fatty-acid-metabolizing microbial communities in disease suppression. Suppressiveness was expressed within the first few hours of seed germination as revealed by reduced P. ul...

An outbreak of Rift Valley fever in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Yemen in 2000 was the first recognized occurrence of the illness outside of Africa and Madagascar. An assessment of potential mosquito vectors in the region yielded an isolate from Aedes vexans arabiensis, most closely related to strains from Madagascar (1991) and Kenya (1997).

Fungal phytopathogens are cause of many plant diseases and much loss of crop yields, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Chemical fungicides are extensively used in agriculture. However, these products may cause problems such as environmental pollution and affect human health. Microorganisms as biocontrol agents have high potential to control plant pathogens and no effect on the env...

The bacterium Pseudomonas aureofaciens 63-28 is antagonistic to several plant pathogenic fungi, including Pythium spp. The bacterium produced at least four antifungal metabolites active against Pythium ultimum and Phytophthora cryptogea when tested in culture for antifungal activity. Two of these compounds were identified as the novel butyrolactones (Z)-4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-(1-hexenyl)-2-buteno...

Canine heartworm is one of the most serious infections primarily affecting domestic dogs but will also infect cats and wild canids. To evaluate the potential of mosquitoes as vectors of dog heartworm, Dirofilaria immitis (Leidy) in San Joaquin County, CA, we collected mosquitoes in 2011 and analyzed for infection with heartworm by using polymerase chain reaction. Of 3,000 mosquito pools (total ...

The pathological findings in three cases of equine phycomycosis in Costa Rica are described. Two cutaneous (Pythium sp) and one nasal lesion (Conidiobolus) were observed.