Downy Mildew of cucurbits is one of the most important diseases of cucumber in humid areas and greenhouses. Damage of disease is estimated 50% to 100% in suitable climatic conditions. Therefore, achieving resistant or tolerant genotypes can be designed as the most important and safe method to reduce the damage and increase the benefits of cucumber farming. In order to evaluate the resistance of cucumber germplasms available in Iran, an experiment was conducted using 72 genotypes including 20 native genotypes from Iran National Gene Bank, 49 commercial hybrids from different seed companies, and 3 native population from Tabriz (Basmendj), Babol (Local Babol) and Cossackitan (Local Cossack). The mentioned genotypes were inoculated with 5 ml of 5×103 of sporangium. In field conditions, 21 genotypes, with Local Sari, were studied. It was resulted that Voyaj F1 from Russia and KC361065, KC361105 and TN 94135 from Iran National Gene Bank, and GH5 as a commercial cultivar showed resistance under greenhouse conditions. FDC101 was considered resistant. It was concluded in vitro 4 genotypes and in vivo 8 genotypes found tolerant, whereas, were grouped in susceptible category. In this study, different reactions of fungus isolates were detected in some genotypes. This showed the existence of physiological races for PSEUDOPERONOSPORA CUBENSIS in Iran.

The compatibility studies of Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf1) with azoxystrobin at different concentrations viz., 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm revealed that it was compatible with all the concentrations of azoxystrobin tested and the growth of the bacterium was unaffected even at the maximum concentration of 300 ppm. The field experiment revealed a foliar application of Pf1 (2.5 kg ha-1) and azoxystrobin (250 ml ha-1) combined, reduced downy mildew as well as powdery mildew disease severities more than azoxystrobin (250 and 500 ml ha-1) alone. An application of Pf1+azoxystrobin treatment recorded only 2.22 and 1.00 Percent Disease Index (PDI) of downy mildew and 1.85 and 0.50 PDI of powdery mildew during the first and second seasons, respectively. The treatment also recorded a maximum fruit yield of 14.30 and 15.65 tonnes ha-1 for the first and second seasons, respectively. Application of Pf1 along with azoxystrobin significantly increased the survival of Pf1 in the phylloplane of cucumber crop. In addition, there was multifold increase in peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase, b-1, 3 glucanase, chitinase and phenolics in plants treated with Pf1+azoxystrobin.

Cucumber downy mildew caused by PSEUDOPERONOSPORA CUBENSIS is one of the most important diseases of cucumber in Iran. In this investigation the role of β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) in reducing this disease was studied via spraying of leaves and soil drench. The plants were treated with BABA and after 24 hours leaves were detached and inoculated with the pathogen and kept in a plastic box with favorable conditions for the disease agent. The disease was evaluated six days after inoculation with pathogen by scoring the leaves between 0-9 and the disease index calculated. Result showed that spraying the leaves by BABA had no effect on the disease reduction but soil application of this compound statistically reduced the disease (p≤ 0. 05). The second phase of the experiment was done for evaluating the effect of BABA on the activity of enzymes such as β-1, 4-Glucanase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Enzymes activity was assayed at 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after inoculation with the pathogen. Results showed an increas jn enzyme activity at 48-hours post-inoculation with the pathogen and then β-1, 4-Glucanase, PAL, and POX enzymes activities decreased slowly, while PPO enzymes activity decreased rapidly.

Background: Nowadays, bone grafts are used in both veterinary and human orthopaedics to stimulate fracture healing and to accelerate the restoration of bone defects. Autografts are still a high standard for comparing different bone-building stimuli. Autografts not only include healing stimulants but also contains cells that do not stimulate immune responses and do not transmit infectious diseases. However, bone grafting is not without side effects such as pain, infection, fracture, blood loss and increased surgical stages, besides the amount of bone removed is limited. Tarantula CUBENSIS venom has an anti-inflammatory and re-epithelialization effect in bovine wound healing on the 14th day; it also plays a role in infection prevention since Theranekron can alter the process of inflammation. This study aims to examine the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of tarantula CUBENSIS on the distal radius fracture healing in rabbits Methods: This study was conducted on 20 male rabbits, in four study groups of five rabbits. A bone se was extracted from the distal radius. The first group was administrated with one microgram per kilogram of Theranekron injection at the site of the bone defection. The second and third (or negative control) groups were administrated with normal saline injection and no substance (no intervention), respectively. Lastly, the fourth group (or autograft group), the extracted bone segment was returned in its place, and the skin and muscles were sutured. Lateral view radiographs images were taken from rabbits on days of 14, 28, 42 and 56 after surgery. On the eighth week, a bone biopsy was performed to evaluate histopathology. Radiographs and biopsies were statistically examined for fusion rate, ossification activity and remodelling. Results and Conclusion: Both Theranekron and autograft group had similar behaviour and outperformed the normal saline and negative control group; therefore it is concluded that hydroalcoholic extract of tarantula CUBENSIS was effective in distal radius fracture healing.

Background and objectives: Considering the increasing prevalence of depression, many studies are launched to investigate new antidepressant treatments. The present research has shown how psilocybin as an active compound of Psilocybe CUBENSIS (Earle) Singer extract (PCE) can change the parameters related to depression and anxiety in animal models. Both serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) and glutamate modulate depressive-like behaviors and, therefore, we examined the possible interaction of psilocybin as 5-HT1 agonist with glutamate receptor N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Methods: Psilocybe CUBENSIS extract of this mushroom was prepared by ethyl acetate. NMRI mice involved in all experiments and were treated with the vehicle, extract, or standard drug intraperitoneally. Open field (OFT), forced swimming (FST) and tail suspension tests (TST) were applied to measure the intended parameters. OFT was performed to verify the applied doses for measuring the following antidepressant activity. Results: PCE at the doses of 100 mg/kg significantly changed the locomotion, time spent in center and velocity of the animals in OFT. While treatment of the animals with PCE 10 and 40 mg/kg or ketamine 1 mg/kg did not alter the locomotor activity, co-administration of these subeffective amounts significantly reduced the immobility time in both FST and TST. Conclusion: These effects may indicate possible implication of psilocybin with NMDA receptor which consequently produces the antidepressant effects.

Cultivation of vegetables in low tunnels and use of polyethylene mulches has been increased in recent years. To study the effect of planting date and polyethylene mulches on vegetable leaf miner and downy mildew, an experiment was conducted in split plot, arranged based on a complete randomized block design with 4 replications in Kabotar Abad Station. Main plot was planting dates (early Feb., mid Feb., early Mar., mid Mar.) and sub plot was soil cover (black mulch, transparent mulch and without mulch). Infestation rate to leaf miner in each plot was assessed through inspecting all leaves of 5 randomly selected plants. Infected plants to mildew in the middle row of each plot were recorded and disease severity was determined using notation method. Data were analyzed and means were compared by duncan’s test. Results showed that for leaf miner there were no significant differences among treatments. However, the lowest and highest infestation rates belonged to first and third dates, respectively, and black mulch had the highest infestation rate. For downy mildew the first and second dates were placed in the same group and third and forth date in another group. Effect of mulches on infection rate and severity was significant and similar. The lowest infection rate and severity belonged to transparent mulch. Therefore, transparent mulch and later planting could be useful for management of this disease.

Leaf spot disease is known as one of the limiting factors in cucumber cultivation in east Azarbaijan province and causes major damages on the crop yield annually. Purpose of the current study was to monitor leaf spot disease of cucumber in East Azerbaijan province and identify the pathogenic fungal species using morphological data. To this purpose, sampling was carried out during summer 2013 from main cucumber production areas of Shabestar, Ahar, Myianeh and Basmenj regians. During this research, a total of 90 samples were collected and 100 fungal isolates were isolated from infected samples that had various symptoms of leaf spot. Results of the present study confirmed that the leaf spot symptoms were caused by different fungal species in the provincial farms. By morphological study and investigation of macroscopic and microscopic features, the fungal species of Stemphylium mali, Ulocladium atrum, Cladosporium sp., Nigrospora oryzae, Bipolaris sorkiniana, Phoma sp., Pseudoprenospora CUBENSIS, Bipolaris spicifera, Curvularia sp., Alternaria tenuissima were identified as the causal agent of cucumber leaf spot disease. Among the identified species, isolates of Alternaria tenuissima and Pseudoprenospora CUBENSIS were more frequent than others with 48% and 13% isolation frequencies, respectively.