Characterisation of Botrytis species associated with neck rot of onion in Australia
Neck rot of onion has commonly been attributed to two fungal pathogens, Botrytis aclada (syn. B. allii) and B. byssoidea. However, in other countries, a recently developed PCR technique using sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) primers (BA2f/BA1r) followed by ApoI digestion of the amplification product, has shown the presence of two groups within B. aclada, B. aclada AI and B. aclada AII syn. B. allii. This method was used to characterise Botrytis spp. of the B. aclada/B. allii complex associated with onion seed and bulbs in Australia. A total of 24 Botrytis isolates, including two from seed and ten from bulbs (Tasmania), five from seed (South Australia), and one from seed and six from a culture collection originally isolated from five bulbs and one stipe (New South Wales), were characterised. Of the 24 isolates, one was identified as B. cinerea, one as B. aclada AI, and 22 as B. aclada All syn. B. allii.
Light microscopic observation of nuclei and mitotic chromosomes of Botrytis species.
The mean number of nuclei in a conidium of B. allii (seven isolates), B. byssoidea (three isolates), and B. cinerea (five isolates) was 1.3-1.5, 5.0-5.1, and 4.0-5.1; respectively, whereas that of B. squamosa (one isolate) was 18.4. The chromosome number was found to be 16 in B. byssoidea, B. cinerea, B. squamosa, and B. tulipae. Seven isolates of B. allii were divided into two groups according to the chromosome number: three isolates had 32 chromosomes, whereas the other four had 16
The status of FAO and codex alimentarius developments on vegetable proteins
The FAO is interested in increasing world protein supplies both by advising and assisting developing countries to increase their production of staple foods and by encouraging the development of technology to produce protein concentrates both from vegetable and animal sources to supplement diets which are low in protein content. Recent revisions of the amount of protein required in the diet in relation to total per capita energy requirements and the difficulties encountered in introducing novel foods into established dietary patterns has led FAO to concentrate on increased agricultural productions in developing countries as the primary means of combatting malnutrition. In the meantime, in North America and Europe, advances in the technology of processing vegetable proteins has given highly acceptable products simulating meats which are being used as meat extenders and meat analogues. The consequent increase in vegetable protein production has revealed a need for international, agreement on standardization, and it has been agreed that this will be undertaken by the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards’ Programme. The program operates chiefly through the Codex Alimentarius, Commission, an international governmental body, the purpose of which is to protect consumers against health hazard in food and against fraud. The Commission, which has 116 member governments, controls an intensive program of work covering the composition, labeling, additives, contaminants, pesticide residues, hygiene, sampling and analysis aspects of foods and has established a procedure which allows member governments ample opportunity to reach agreement on food standards and to accept them for incorporation into national legislation. The Codex Commission, at its 12th session, decided to establish a Committee on Vegetable Proteins with the following terms of references: “to elaborate definitions and world-wide standards for vegetable protein products deriving from soybeams, cottonseed, groundnuts, cereals and from other vegetable sources as they come into use for human consumption, and to elaborate guidelines on utilization of such vegetable protein products in the food supply system, on nutritional requirements and safety on labeling and on other aspects as may seem appropriate.” The question of which country will host the Committee is still under discussion.