Kholoud M. Alananbeh

Cultivation of oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus on date-palm leaves mixed with other agro-wastes in Saudi Arabia

Promoting the use of agricultural waste is one of the newly prepared water and environment friendly agriculture strategies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The objective of this research was to study the efficiency of cultivating oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on date palm wastes mixed with other agricultural wastes available in KSA. Four agricultural wastes were mixed with date palm leaves at different ratios, with two supplements and three spawn rates were used. Wheat straw mixed with date palm at ratio of 25 (date palm): 75 (agro-waste) showed the best results in most of the parameters measured. Corn meal was superior over wheat bran as a supplement in all treatments. Parameter values increased with the increase of the spawn rate of P. ostreatus. Treatments with date palm leave wastes contained higher carbohydrates and fibers. No significant differences were found among the fruiting bodies produced on the different agro-wastes studied for the different proximates analyzed. Analyses of metal concentration showed that potassium was the highest in all the treatments tested followed by Na, Mg, Ca, and Zn. This is the first study that reported the success of growing oyster mushroom on date palm leaf wastes mixed with other agro-wastes obtainable in KSA.

Phomopsis Stem Canker: A Reemerging Threat to Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in the United States.

Phomopsis stem canker causes yield reductions on sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) on several continents, including Australia, Europe, and North America. In the United States, Phomopsis stem canker incidence has increased 16-fold in the Northern Great Plains between 2001 and 2012. Although Diaporthe helianthi was assumed to be the sole causal agent in the United States, a newly described species, D. gulyae, was found to be the primary cause of Phomopsis stem canker in Australia. To determine the identity of Diaporthe spp. causing Phomopsis stem canker in the Northern Great Plains, 275 infected stems were collected between 2010 and 2012. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region, elongation factor subunit 1-α, and actin gene regions of representative isolates, in comparison with those of type specimens, confirmed two species (D. helianthi and D. gulyae) in the United States. Differences in aggressiveness between the two species were determined using the stem-wound method in the greenhouse; overall, D. helianthi and D. gulyae did not vary significantly (P≤0.05) in their aggressiveness at 10 and 14 days after inoculation. These findings indicate that both Diaporthe spp. have emerged as sunflower pathogens in the United States, and have implications on the management of this disease.

Pesticide Residue Awareness among Students and Employees in the University of Jordan, Jordan

ABSTRACT The objective of the current study was to examine the awareness of employees, students, and community at The University of Jordan about pesticides residue in food and whether they are interested to learn more about it. A questionnaire consisted of 28 questions in three sections was designed and included questions about the demographic characteristics and about the knowledge of the participants about pesticides and their residual limit. Results showed that young respondents with ages between 19–35 years old and with higher educational levels and scientific background were more knowledgeable in many aspects regarding pesticides and their residues, however, this study should be expanded to include higher numbers of respondents, from different universities in Jordan, and among different school backgrounds in order to be able to generalize the results.

Genetic, dietary, and non-dietary risk factors of obesity among preparatory-year female students at Taibah University, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Genetic factors have a strong influence on obesity and are associated with body mass index (BMI). No study has investigated the relationships between glucose, the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene, obesity (BMI), and other metabolic-related traits in Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted to identify the association between glucose, BMI and the FTO rs9939609 variant with different metabolic traits among 186 female preparatory students at Taibah University in 2015. The subjects were divided into two categories based on glucose level and BMI. The results showed that 1/10th of the students were non-obese, while approximately 1/3rd had a high glucose level (HGL). The HGL group had higher mean levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, VLDL, and malondialdehyde compared to those of the normal glucose level (NGL) group. A highly positive correlation between glucose and some biochemical parameters was found in the HGL group (P < 0.05), while no correlation was found between glucose and biochemical parameters, except for the cholesterol and triglyceride levels, in the NGL group. According to the t-test, none of the biochemical parameters were significant, and no correlation existed between these parameters and glucose, except for BMI. More than 90% of the students were not aware that they had an HGL or high cholesterol level according to their response to the questionnaire distributed at the beginning of this study. These problems mainly arose from the students’ diet, lack of exercise, and lifestyle. Of the 75% of students that had the T-allele, approximately 50% had the heterozygous FTO rs9939609 genotype AT. Genotypes were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P > 0.05) in the whole population (n = 186) in both obese and non-obese groups and both HGL and NGL groups. In conclusion, a positive correlation between glucose and some biochemical parameters was found in the HGL group; 24.5% of the population had the (A allele) risk factor, and 32% and 98% of the population were homozygous (AA) and heterozygous (AT) for the rs9939609 FTO obesity-risk allele that is responsible for greater energy intake. Future studies are required to study the FTO gene variant and its association with different biochemical parameters, mainly glucose, weight, and BMI, between males and females at different ages and locations in Saudi Arabia.