---

Race-specific resistance of wheat to yellow rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici has been reported as short-lived. Partial resistance, a kind of quantitative resistance, has been reported to be more stable. Partial resistance in terms of slow rusting parameters including final rust severity (FRS), apparent infection rate (r), relative area under disease progress curve (rAUDPC), and coefficient of infection (CI) was evaluated in a set of twenty six wheat genotypes along with susceptible control during 2010-2011 cropping year. This study was conducted in field plots at Ardabil Agricultural Research Station (Iran) under natural infection conditions with twice artificial inoculation. Artificial inoculation was carried out by yellow rust inoculum having virulence against Yr2, Yr6, Yr7, Yr9, Yr22, Yr23, Yr24, Yr25, Yr26, Yr27, YrA, and YrSU. Seedling reaction was also evaluated in greenhouse by using race 66E0A+, Yr27+. Results of mean comparison for resistance parameters showed that, lines C-89-4, C-89-17 and C-89-16 along with susceptible had the highest values of FRS, CI, r and rAUDPC, therefore were selected as moderately susceptible or susceptible lines. The lines C-89-7, C-89-8, C-89-9, C-89-10, C-89-13, C-89-14 and C-89-20 had susceptible reactions at seedling stage and low level infection at adult plant stage. Accordingly these lines with low level of different parameters supposed to be having gene/s for varying degrees of partial resistance or high temperature adult plant resistance (HTAP) that can be used for future manipulation in wheat improvement program after confirmatory studies. The remaining lines (except for C-89-2) were immune or had low level of infection. Thus, these were selected as resistant lines. In this study correlation coefficient between different parameters of slow rusting was highly significant. Based on the results, the reaction of the studied genotypes to stripe rust varied from sensitive to immune.

---

Fungi belonging to the Mycosphaerella s. l. are widely distributed all over the world. Most taxa cause leaf spot diseases, and have considerable impact on cultivation of many economically important crops. On Eucalyptus species, for example, Mycosphaerella leaf spots are one of the major diseases responsible for severe damage in most parts of the word especially outside of their native cultivation range. Mycosphaerella leaf blotches on Eucalyptus have little been studied in Iran. During a study on fungi associated with leaf spots on Eucalyptus spp. several specimens of mitosporic fungi which have been collected from Guilan province were examined and two species viz. Kirramyces epicoccoides and Pseudocercospora eucalyptorum were found to be new records for Iran mycobiota. Moreover, another species of Pseudocercospora is described on Eucalyptus. This species is clearly distinguished from related taxa by its conidium morphology, and appears to represent a new species; however, due to complicated taxonomy of the genus Pseudocercospora (especially on Eucalyptus spp.) further information is required to confirm its taxonomical position.  

---

A faunal study of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) was conducted in some parts of Khuzestan Province (southwest of Iran) in 2014 and 2015. Totally, 90 species belonging to 49 genera and seven subfamilies were collected and identified. Most of samples were collected by using sweeping net and Malaise trap and a few by aspirator and sticky yellow trap. As a result of this study 47 species are recorded from Khuzestan Province for the first time and eight species are new records for the fauna of Iran including Euscelidius schenckii (Kirschbaum, 1868); Hardya (Hardya) melanopsis (Hardy, 1850); Paradorydium (Paradorydium) lanceolatum (Burmeister, 1839); Hecalus prasinus (Matsumura, 1905); Psammotettix emarginatus Singh, 1969; Grammacephalus pallidus (Linnavuori, 1978); Helionidia punctulata (Ramakrishnan and Menon, 1974) and Eupteryx (Eupteryx) kaghanensis Ahmed, 1969. For each species geographical distribution in Iran are completely mentioned. In addition morphological data and illustration of adults and their male genitalia are given for the eight newly recorded species.

---

ELISA values (O.D.s) of extracts of separately roots and individual leaves of barley and wheat plants infected by a French BYDV-PAV isolate (PAV-4), were assessed for five dif-ferent virus incubation periods in controlled conditions (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days after in-oculation). In most cases, virus contents of individual roots or leaves were not statistically different for barley and wheat. For both plant species, ELISA values peaked sooner in roots than in leaves and in most harvesting dates were higher in roots. The old leaf had a significantly lower virus titre than other leaves. Upper leaves exhibited the highest ELISA values. These results indicate that the upper part of infected plants is the most suitable for virus acquisition by aphids. A scheme for BYDV-PAV spread in young plants is proposed, and compared to the distribution of vectors on the plants.

---

Foliar analysis of natural deciduous tree species of basswood (Tilia americana L.) (BA), American beech (Acer grandifolia Enrh) (BE), and white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) (WA) was carried out in 1994 in southern Quebec. The Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) was developed from the traditional method to find the preliminary norm and indices of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg for the above species. The growth decade 1983-1994 in a high yielding sub-population was used to develop DRIS norms for the identification of DRIS functions and indices in relatively depleted levels of those elements in the declined growth of three species. Foliar nutrient deficiencies were found with K (-3.72) and N (-2.96) for basswood, Ca (-10.43) and Mg (-4.93) for beech, and N (-6.16), Ca (-2.56) and K (-2.05) for white ash. The DRIS analysis indicated that basswood and white ash were relatively depleted of K and N, while beech had a deficiency of Ca and Mg, and white ash had a limitation of N. These results suggest the usefulness of DRIS for foliar tissue analysis as an indicator of nutritional status and elemental stresses in natural forests. The DRIS indices were also discussed from the traditional approach.

---

Limited water for irrigation and the coincidence of early growth of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) with the late growth of winter cereals in the Northeast (NE) of Iran, force farmers, to allocate their limited irrigation water to the cereal crops and thus their sugar beet crop is subjected to an early water stress. Finding cultivars which are able to withstand early water stress without a significant yield reduction is critical to the farmers’ economy. This study was conducted over a two-year period (1998 and 1999) to evaluate the response of nine sugar beet genotypes to drought stress and to determine the crop traits associated with drought resistance. The results showed that stomatal conductance, leaf-air temperature difference and proline accumulation were associated with levels of water stress in sugar beet genotypes. Among these indices, leaf-air temperature difference was a more precise parameter to measure. A negative correlation between Δ T (leaf -air temperature) and stomatal conductance was found. The correlation coefficients for 1998 and 1999 were -0.87 and -0.58, respectively. There was a positive correlation between Δ T and proline accumulation in sugar beet genotypes. The correlation coefficients for the 1998 and 1999 experiments were 0.61 and 0.49, respectively. The shoot: root ratio (S:R) measured at the end of the stress period showed that genotypes with a lower S:R often had a greater stomatal conductance. In general, genotypes with a lower S:R at the end of the stress period usually had a greater root dry weight. The correlation coefficients of S:R with root dry weight at the end of the stress period were -0.96 and -0.65 for 1998 and 1999, respectively.

---

Bucculatrix albella Stainton is newly reported for the fauna of Iran. The species is collected in Khorasan-e Jonubi and Zanjan Provinces as larvae and cocoon, and adult, respectively. In the former Province it was found on red date, Ziziphus jujuba Miller (Rosales: Rhamnaceae) in some orchards of Birjand during 2015-2016. This species may be considered as a severe pest of jujube in Iran in the future.

---

Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolius) leaf extract was applied against two strains of the crown gall disease agent (Agrobacterium tumefaciens); strains C58 and AR125. In vitro, we used the agar well diffusion method and the extract was tested in different solvents selected according to their polarity indices, at different concentrations and different incubation temperatures. In vivo, we tested the extract prepared in different solvents on the stems of young tomato plants (cv. Firenze) which were inoculated with the strain C58.The best results were obtained with the extract prepared in hot sterile distilled water and in methanol (0.3 g.ml^-1) incubated at 25 °C and 30 °C. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was evaluated to be 10^-4 g.ml^-1. In another aspect, to identify the nature of certain substances from S. terebinthifolius leaf extracts, we made a test of fractionation using the Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) method and phytochemical screening of the crude methanol leaf extract. We noticed the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid compounds which may be responsible for the antibacterial activity. These tests indicated that false pepper leaf extract has an antibiotic effect against Agrobacterium tumefaciens both in vitro and in vivo, which represents a conceptual approach with great promise for future biological control.  

---

Cercosporoid fungi including the genus Cercospora and other morphologically similar genera are associated with leaf spot symptoms on various host plants. In this research three taxa including Passalora cucurbiticola (on Cucurbita sp.), P. bolleana (on Ficus carica), and Pseudocercosporella capsellae (on Capsella bursa-pastoris, Sinapis arvensis) were identified. Among these, P. cucurbiticola and P. capsellae are new records for mycobiota of Iran.  

---

Some safer strategies were designed and evaluated for management of apical leaf curling (ChiLCV) in chilli Capsicum annum L. and its vectors. The strategies were designed emphasizing on the repellent crop theory and the components like physical barrier, adult-trapping, plant sanitation, foliar application of phytochemicals and minimal application of synthetic organic pesticide. The crop was infested by some sucking pests namely, Chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, yellow mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) and whitefly Bemsia tabaci (Gennadius). However, the populations of aphid and whiteflies were low and leaf curl virus which is vectored by any of the above creatures, did not appear in the present studies. Some management strategies were devised to suppress the pest populations as well as their damage and obtain good yields. However, strategies with phytochemical-based treatments which utilized neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) and rose apple Syzygium Jambos leaf extract (rose apple LE), could not offer satisfactory protection and yield was also quite low. But when these treatments had the support of a limited quantity of synthetic/semi-synthetic pesticides like emamectin benzoate (one application) and chlorfenapyr (one application) along with the plant fractions, showed much better suppression of pest populations like thrips and yellow mite as well as apical leaf curling intensity (0.94–1.12%). In all the treatments except chemical check and untreated check, some components were utilized as common part and these were: yellow sticky trap, repellent cropping with coriander and holy basil and plant sanitation. The strategies effectively suppressed the landing response and development of the pest populations which resulted in lower crop damages and sponsored good yields. These were safer to non-target beneficial creatures, cost-effective and comparable to chemical method.

---

A faunistic survey was conducted to identify the leafhoppers in the southwest of Iran (Khouzestan Province) in 2014. Among the collected materials, Aconurella nuristana Dlabola, 1957 is recorded for the first time for Iranian leafhoppers fauna. Diagnostic characters and geographical distribution of the newly recorded species is presented briefly.

---

Field experiments were conducted to determine the optimum application rate of sunn hemp Crotalaria juncea leaf residue in the management of Meloidogyne incognita on tomato. Sunn hemp applied at rates of 0 (control), 2, 4 and 6 kg/ha showed a varied effect on second stage juveniles of M. incognita. There were no differences in plant height and stem girth. The 6 kg/ha treatment reduced the M. incognita population by 94% compared with the control. The highest yield of tomato (168.7 kg/ha) was recorded in 6 kg/ha treatment of sunn hemp.

---

The cotton leaf roller moth, Haritalodes derogata (Fabricius, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) was collected on two kinds of flowering shrubs, Hibiscus syriacus L. and Hibiscus mutabilis L., in Rasht, Guilan Province, during August 2013. This species represents a generic new record for the fauna of Iran. A brief description of the species is provided to facilitate the identification.

---

Nutritional indices of the willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting, third instar larvae and adults were studied on four host plants including Salix alba L., Salix aegyptica L., Populus caspica Bornm.and Populus alba L.at 22 ± 2 ºC, 70 ± 10% R.H., and a photoperiod of 16:8 h (L: D). The results showed that the highest consumed food by the larvae and adults (148.5 ± 18.0 and 175.21 ± 4.51 mg dry weight, respectively) was on P. caspica. The larvae fed on S. alba and S. aegyptica had the highest efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) (2.3 ± 0.33 and 2.23 ± 0.67%, respectively) and efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) (2.5 ± 0.35 and 2.41 ± 0.72%, respectively). Approximate digestibility (AD) of larvae was the highest on P. caspica and P. alba (98.51 ± 0.25 and 98.14 ± 0.1%, respectively). The lowest relative consumption rate (RCR) of the larvae and adults was on S. alba (0.14 ± 0.001 and 0.13 ± 0.006 mg/mg/day, respectively). ECI and ECD values of the adults fed on various host plants were not significantly different. Adults fed on P. caspica had the highest values of RCR (0.59 ± 0.01 mg/mg/day), relative growth rate (RGR) (0.02 ± 0.008 mg/mg/day) and AD (98.72 ± 0.24%). These results demonstrated the higher feeding performance of the willow leaf beetle on P. caspica and its poorer performance on P. alba.  

---

In the years 2012-14 a series of extensive surveys for natural enemies of parthenium were conducted in Haryana. During survey, a leaf spot disease has been regularly reported on congress grass at different parts of the Kurukshetra and its adjoining areas.The fungal pathogen was isolated from the affected parts of parthenium leaves and on the basis of cultural, morphological and molecular characteristics, was identified as Alternaria macrospora MKP1. Koch’s postulate was performed and found satisfactory for the isolate and proved to be pathogenic to this weed. The growth of A. macrospora MKP1 was studied on eight different media and it exhibited varying degrees of growth on different media. The literature survey indicates that A. macrospora has never been reported on the parthenium weed and it is the first report of occurrence of this pathogen causing leaf spot disease on parthenium weed from the world.

---

The elm leaf beetle, Xanthogalerucella luteola (Muller) (Col.: Chrysomelidae) is a serious pest of elm trees and it has been distributed all over the world. The current study was undertaken to investigate the inhibitory effects of protein extracts of three weed seeds including datura Datura stramonium L., amaranth Amaranthus retroflexus L. and wild oat Avena fatua L. against X. luteola α-amylase using spectrophotometric assay as well as in gel assays. The effects of five concentrations of each seed proteinaceous extracts were tested on α-amylase activity of the larval gut. The results showed a dose dependent manner in inhibition of the insect enzyme. At the highest concentration of protein extracts (12 μg protein) of all three seed extracts including amaranth, wild oat and datura, the inhibition was 71, 79 and 31%, respectively. Whilst, at low concentration (0.75 μg protein), the inhibition observed was 15, 36 and 5%, respectively. Thus, the greatest inhibition percentage was obtained when proteinaceous extract of wild oat seed was used. These results were confirmed when in gel assays were performed. All three seed proteinaceous extracts had an optimum pH inhibition of 6.0. Thus, it is concluded that wild oat seed proteins are potentially good for detailed investigation in order to get a clear picture of its active compound/s and its structure-function relationship.    

---

Tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is one of the most destructive pests of tomato in many parts of the world including Iran. Field studies were conducted to determine the short and long term effects of Bacillus thuringiensis var Kurstaki (Bt), azadirachtin (AZ), a mix of AZ + Bt, and indoxacarb, as a current chemical insecticide, on T. absoluta larvae. Also, effects of the insecticides were studied on the coexisting generalist predators, Coccinella septempunctata L., Chrysoperla carnea Stephens and Syritta sp. Sampling of T. absoluta and its coexisting generalist predators were performed 1 day before treatment (DBT) and one, 5, 8, 14 and 19 days after treatment (DAT). The results indicated significant short term effect of indoxacarb on the pest larvae. Indoxacarb reduced T. absoluta density and damages. Bt, AZ and mixture of them significantly suppressed the larval density at 19 DAT and caused significant reduction in leaf, stem and fruit damage. The highest long term effect on the pest abundance and damage were observed in Az + Bt caused 100% reduction in fruit and foliage damage compared to the control. The highest and lowest adverse effects on C. carnea, C. septempunctat and Serrita sp. were observed in indoxacarb and Bt treatments, respectively. Findings of this study imply that the mixture of Az + Bt has the highest selective toxicity on the pest and the lowest effect on its coexisting generalist predators.  

---

This is the first report of two ectoparasitoid wasps, Elachertus inunctus (Nees, 1834) in Iran and Elachertus pulcher (Erdös, 1961) (Hym.: Eulophidae) in the world, that parasitize larvae of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lep.: Gelechiidae). The specimens were collected from tomato fields and greenhouses in Ahwaz, Khouzestan province (south west of Iran). Both species are new records for fauna of Iran. The knowledge about these parasitoids is still scanty. The potential of these parasitoids for biological control of T. absoluta in tomato fields and greenhouses should be investigated.

---

This paper deals with the study of a leaf spot disease observed on Aloe vera leaves in various nurseries and botanical gardens during the routine surveys of two consecutive years of 2010 and 2011. The symptoms appeared in the form of circular to oval, brown to black, sunken spots on abaxial surface of leaves. The disease was observed only in January to February during the survey. Colonieson PDA were velvety, dark olivaceous to greenish black in colour. The identification of the pathogen was done phenotypically using disease symptoms and microscopic characteristics. Further investigation identified it as Cladosporium sphaerospermum Penzig which was also confirmed at Indian Type Culture Collection (ITCC), IARI, New Delhi, India. According to the literature, this is the first report of Cladosporium sphaerospermum as causal agent of leaf spot disease on A. vera from India.

---

Aims: This study was carried out to determine the effects of urban gaseous pollutants (sulfur dioxide [SO₂], nitrogen dioxide [NO₂], and ozone [O₃]) and climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) on the morphological and anatomical reaction of Platanus orientalis L. in Tehran.
Materials & Methods: Seven districts of this city with a wide spectrum of climatic conditions and diversity of elevation were selected, and gas concentration of SO₂, NO₂, and O₃ was determined. Then, morphological and anatomical parameters of this plant including leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA), wet and dry weight, leaf toughness and thickness, water content, lamina, and main vein were measured and the analysis of their correlations with environmental (climatic and pollutant) factors along with their t-tests were evaluated.
Findings: The results showed that the climatic factors made significant (P < 0.05) changes on SLA, water content, wet and dry weight of green leaves of this plant. In addition, different levels of pollutant gases had significant (P < 0.05) effects on natural toughness, thickness, wet weight, number of spongy parenchyma layers, and the ratio of lamina mesophyll to subvein of leaves.
Conclusion: The results explain that anatomical and morphological characteristics of P. orientalis leaves have been influenced by environmental stresses and changes in these factors show the resistance of the plant to the environmental conditions.