The plant growth promoting effect of some bacteria usable to control plant diseases has a potential for resolving technical problems of plant production. The effects of Burkholderia gladioli pv. agaricicola ICMP11096 on development of tomato seedlings development and control of their infection by Fusarium oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were evaluated in the present study. Bacterized plants showed a higher shoot and root weight and a more extended root system in terms of total length and root density than non-bacterized plants. The bacterizing treatments gave rise to significant reduction of disease symptoms such as leaf wilting induced by F. oxysporum infection and/or root necrosis and leaf yellowing by S. sclerotiorum. The potential use of Burkholderia gladioli pv. agaricicola ICMP11096 in biocontrol of fungal pathogens and to enhance seedling growth parameters is underlined as a tool to achieve a high commercial quality of nursery tomato plants.

Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the ability of plant Amaranth, Amaranthus caudate and two isolated bacterial strains from rhizosphere region for cleaning up glyphosate residues in soil and plants. The analytical study of the biodegradation of glyphosate was carried out in the laboratory conditions. Amaranth, Amaranthus caudate and two isolated bacterial strains namely Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus megaterium could degrade glyphosate in 5 days. These results suggested that phytoremediation could accelerate the degradation of glyphosate residues in plants and in rhizosphere region as well. Glyphosate had strong effect on bacterial DNA where many DNA bands were affected. This could be explained that the effect of herbicide glyphosate on the protein profile may reflex somehow DNA mutation occurred during the assimilation of those toxic compounds. Therefore, the alteration occurred in both DNA and protein profiles is considered a degree of tolerance that lead to DNA mutation to cope with the assimilation of this compound. Therefore, the phytoremediation way could be a promising tool in program is to protect public health and the environment by ensuring the safety and availability of herbicides and pesticide alternatives.

Introduction: One of the most significant risk factors identified in food contamination is cross-contamination among the food and the preparation surfaces. We verified the occurrence and the antimicrobial resistance of enterobacteria in equipment used to prepare diets to hospitalized patients in a university hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: A total of 60 samples were collected from semi-industrial equipment (one blender and one mixer) in the hospital's kitchen. Enterobacteriaceae species were identified by classical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by the disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by the broth microdilution method. The detection of beta-lactamases genes was determined by PCR. Results: Ninety-seven isolates of Enterobacteriaceae have been identified. We isolated six Salmonella spp. The susceptibility test revealed that 77% (n=75) of the isolates presented resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent. The search for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases genes indicated the presence of blaSHV gene in a Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae isolate. The sequencing identified the SHV-36 enzyme. Conclusion: We found important enterobacteria contamination in the hospital kitchen equipment, indicating that the hygiene procedures should be improved. Furthermore, we recovered Salmonella spp. isolates from both the blender and the mixer, showing that diets may act as potential vehicles for the dissemination of enteropathogens in this scenario.

Presence of prophages in cells of three isolates of Anabaena sp. (Anabaena sp.1, sp.2 and sp.3), Anabaena cylindrica, Nostoc muscorum and Oscillatoria sp. was investigated. Copper sulfate at concentration of 3.1x10-4 M was successfully used for induction of temperate cyanophages. Among the cyanobacterial isolates tested Anabaena cylindrica was found to contain a prophage. A temperate phage was induced from Anabaena cylindrica by copper sulfate treatment and designated Ac-1. The induced phage isolate formed hazy circular plaques of 5 mm in diameter. The thermal inactivation point and longevity in vitro of the induced phage isolate (Ac-1) were found to be 70°C and 36 hrs., respectively. The induced cyanophage particles were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The phage particles were of head and tail type. The head diameter, tail length and tail width were found to be 50 nm, 116.6 nm and 8.3 nm, respectively. Ultrathin sections of infected A. cylindrica cells with temperate cyanophage and healthy ones were examined by electron microscopy. Marked changes in protoplasm and cell membrane, i.e. coagulation of protoplasm, formation of vesicles and vacuoles were observed in the infected cells as compared to the healthy ones. Phage particles were detected inside the infected A. cylindrica cells. Moreover, lysis of cell wall and release of the induced phage particles were also observed.

‘Ugba’ and ‘Ogiri’, fermented products of African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla) and Castor oil seed (Ricinus communis), were screened for microbiological profile and ability to serve as carrier medium for probiotic, the sensory acceptability of products over twenty one days storage was also analyzed. Assay of unpasteurized products from different food vendors gave mean heterotrophic bacterial count for Ugba ranging from 6.20 x10^10-2.96x10¹¹ cfu/g, bacteria count in Ogiri samples range from 5.10x10^10-1.21x10¹¹ cfu/g. Mean fungal count in Ugba samples range from 8.0x10^8-2.01x10¹⁰ cfu/g while count of fungi in Ogiri range from 2.1x10^9-1.21x10¹⁰ cfu/g. The bacteria isolated include species of Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Serratia, Klebsiella, Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. The fungi species implicated include Rhizopus, Geotrichum, Saccharomyces, Mucor, Penicillium, Fusarium and Aspergillus. Microbial load of inoculated LAB (LASO and LAWB) multiplied in all the products throughout the storage period, there was also increase in number of recovered LAB from the stool samples through the period of study. Unpasteurized products of both Ugba and Ogiri declined in sensory attributes after day 5-9 while Ogiri and Ugba samples with LASO and LASO+LAWB combinations had better sensory properties at day 21. Ogiri and Ugba could serve as good carrier medium for probiotic with good organoleptic properties, however texture stability of these products during storage need further investigation. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point assessment, Good Manufacturing Practice and packaging are necessary to curtail microbial contaminations in these products.