Diploid species of peanut (Arachis cardenasii) showed no symptoms of PStV infection when mechanically inoculated with PStV. Some introgression lines derived from A. cardenasii and A. hypogaea hybridization have been introduced to Indonesia. Evaluation of their adaptability and yield potential were necessary before pursuing further utilization of these introgression lines. The objectives of this research were to determine yield potential of the introgression lines of peanut in green house and field conditions and to evaluate incidence of PStV infection in the field. Peanut plants were grown in the green house and in the field according to standard procedures for raising peanut. Results of the experiments showed that growth and developmental characters of the tested lines were similar between field and green house grown plants. The introgression lines generally exhibited higher secondary branches and longer to flower and harvest as compared to peanut cv. Gajah and Kelinci. The NC-CS30 line was identfied as having higher yield and bigger seed size as compared to standard peanut cultivars (Gajah and Kelinci). Therefore, NC-CS30 germplasm may be further developed as commercial peanut cultivar or be used as donor for peanut breeding in Indonesia.

A number of abiotic stress responsive genes have been identified from various plant species through reverse genetic strategy. A group of genes are involved in plant responses to stress; they are activated by diverse stress conditions and through different mechanisms. One single gene can be induced by several different stress factors; on the other hand, a number of genes can be up-regulated by a single factor. In Physcomitrella patens, through Northern hybridization, the transcript level of the gene GFDD4-I was detected to be markedly increased by ABA, dehydration and cold, but not by salinity and osmotic stress. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a homologous gene to GFDD4-1 namely At2g47770, was confirmed to fulfill similar function as in P. patens: it is inducible by various abiotic stress treatments, i.e. ABA, dehydration, salinity, and cold. Inducible genes in response to abiotic stress factors may be responsible for plant tolerance to those factors.

A number of abiotic stress responsive genes have been identified from various plant species through reverse genetic strategy. A group of genes are involved in plant responses to stress; they are activated by diverse stress conditions and through different mechanisms. One single gene can be induced by several different stress factors; on the other hand, a number of genes can be up-regulated by a single factor. In Physcomitrella patens, through Northern hybridization, the transcript level of the gene GFDD4-I was detected to be markedly increased by ABA, dehydration and cold, but not by salinity and osmotic stress. In Arabidopsis thaliana, a homologous gene to GFDD4-1 namely At2g47770, was confirmed to fulfill similar function as in P. patens: it is inducible by various abiotic stress treatments, i.e. ABA, dehydration, salinity, and cold. Inducible genes in response to abiotic stress factors may be responsible for plant tolerance to those factors.

Sperm collected from cauda epididymis is a source of male gametes. The purposes of this study was to evaluate an quality of frozen-thawed sperm of garut ram which was collected from cauda epididymis and cryopreserved with modified Tris extender, i.e: Tris extender (control, KT), Tris extender + 60 mM lactose (LS), and Tris extender + 60 mM lactose + 0.05% glutathione (GL). Quality of collected sperm including concentration, motility, live sperm, abnormality, cytoplasmic droplet, intact acrosomal cap (IAC), and intact plasma membrane (IPM) were evaluated. Results showed that mean of sperm concentration, percentages of motility, live sperm, abnormality, cytoplasmic droplet, IAC, and IPM of fresh epididymal sperm were 13,993.33 million/ml, 70.83, 82.83, 10.83, 8.5, 85.83, and 81.33%, respectively. Sperm quality after equilibration for LS and GL were significantly (P<0.05) higher than KT. Mean percentages of post thawing sperm motility, live sperm, IAC, and IPM for GL (45, 54.5, 47.83, and 48.83%) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than LS (40, 49.17, 43.83, and 44.5%), and KT (35, 42.5, 39.17, and 41.5%). Mean percentages of post thawing sperm motility, live sperm, IAC, and IPM for LS were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of KT. Hence, frozen-thawed epididymal sperm of garut ram after slaughter and cryopreserved with Tris extender + 60 mM lactose (LS) and Tris extender + 60 mM lactose + 0.05% glutathione (GL) possibly can be used for artificial insemination (AI) or in vitro embryo production program.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in protecting chillipepper plant from infection of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and chilli veinal mottle virus (ChiVMV). Seven isolates of PGPR, i.e. BC1, BTP2H, BTP3G, BTP3O BTP1, BTP2D, and T1F were applied as seed treatment and soil drench. Plants height, number of branch, and fruits weight were measured every one and ten weeks after virus inoculation. Virus concentration in plants and disease incidence were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Results showed that inoculation with PGPR improved the seed germination. Eight days after sowing, the percentage of PGPR treated seed germination reached 50-84%; whereas those of untreated seed reached only 18%. In general, PGPR treatment significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the effect of virus infection on plant growth. Two PGPR isolates, i.e. BTP1 and BTP2H, maintained fruit weight of infected plants as good as those of healthy plants. Based on ELISA, PGPR was able to inhibit the disease incidence. The BTP3O and BTP2D isolates even protected the plant from ChiVMV infection. Concentration of salicylic acid and peroxidase were relatively higher on plants treated with PGPR than those without PGPR treatment. This gave an indication that PGPR may act as induction agents for systemic acquired resistance. Therefore, PGPR treatment is a promising strategy to control viral diseases on chillipepper.

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to differentiate two brown planthopper biotypes, that were multiplied in the greenhouse. Ten selected random decamer RAPD primers produced unique DNA band patterns for each individual brown planthopper. However, no single primer produced DNA band that could differentiate the two brown planthopper biotype populations. Nonetheless, analysis of the DNA band patterns was able to cluster the majority of the individual samples according to their respective biotypes. Molecular data analysis also indicated greater genetic variation within biotype population than among biotypes.

The phylogeny of the two closely-related genera, Agrioglypta Meyrick and Talanga Moore, was inferred from nucleotide sequence variation across a 973-bp region in the nuclear elongation factor-1α (EF-1α) gene. Seven species representing the two genera and two outgroup species (Feltia jaculifera Guenée and Metallarcha aureodiscalis Meyrick) were analyzed. The results showed the averages of the p-distances in the comparisons between species within genus and between species belonging to other different genera were 3.5% and 4.9%, respectively. EF-1α gene had almost reached saturation at the level of the divergence of these two genera. The phylogenetic analysis using MP and NJ methods showed that each genus was found to be a monophyletic group and the species relationships within each genus were almost consistent as well. A. eurytusalis is the basal species in the genus Agrioglypta. In the genus Talanga, T. sabacusalis lied in the basal node and T. tolumnialis was found to be sister group of T. sexpunctalis.

The possibility of horizontal gene transfer of plant genomic DNA and bacteria in the soil, particularly as this relates to the possible transfer of genes encoding antibiotic resistance, has been seen as hazard associated with genetically engineered plants. It is hypothesized that introduction of bacterial genes into the plant genome leads to a higher probability of gene transfer from plants to bacteria due to the presence of homologous sequences. Bollgard (BG) cotton was constructed through the introduction of cry1A(c) gene, encodes for insecticidal activity againts Lepidopteran pests, together with genes for spectinomycin/streptomycin resistant (aad) and kanamycin resistant (nptII), into the genome of a conventional cotton variety, Delta Pine (DP). The aim of this study were to evaluate the ability of naturally competent Acinetobacter calcoaceticus strain ADP1 to take up and integrate transgenic plant DNA based on homologous recombination under optimized laboratory condition, and to compare phyllosphere microbial population resistant to antibiotic on leaves of transgenic and nontransgenic plant. The results showed that transformation of ADP1 cells with Bollgard DNA was not detected on nitrocellulose membrane nor in sterile soil. Total phyllosphere bacterial population on leaves collected from one month after planting were 1.3 × 108 and 1.6 × 108 cfu/g leave fresh weight for BG and DP, respectively. Samples collected after three month contained 5.9 × 107 and 7.1 × 107 cfu/g leave fresh weight for BG and DP, respectively. This study also showed that there was no significant difference of phyllosphere bacterial population resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin on leaves of BG or DP samples collected from one or three month after planting.

An experiment was conducted to examine the influence of CO2 during in vitro oocyte maturation on the in vitro ovine embryo development. Three treatments of CO2 were subjected to the oocyte development. Those were 2h gasses prior to maturation in incubator (T1); without CO2 either prior to or over maturation (T2) and CO2 exposure both prior to and over 22h maturation (T3). A total of 324 oocytes were used. Putative zygotes were cultured for seven days and evaluated for their developmental stage. Presence of CO2 (T3) increased the proportion of oocytes reaching Metaphase II ( 66.50 + 3.5%; p<0.05). Whereas T1 and T2 resulted in lower number of Metaphase II oocytes, i.e., 46.00 + 2.5% and 42.50 + 2.0%, respectively. Gassed oocytes over 22h maturation (T3) cleaved higher (72.22 + 3.36%) than ungassed oocytes in T1 and T2, i.e., 62.12 + 3.38% and 60.00 + 3.00%, respectively (p<0.05). Limitation of CO2 during IVM did not affect the ability of oocytes to develop to blastocysts following in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) (34.48 + 2.9% vs. 33.00 + 2.5% vs. 36.50 + 3.0%, respectively for T1, T2, and T3; P>0.05). This study suggests that it is possible to mature ovine oocytes in the absence of CO2 without loss its potensial development. It may therefore be an effective method of maturing ovine oocytes during transportation to IVP (in vitro production) laboratory.

Dextranase of Arthrobacter sp. strain B7 (B7DEX enzyme) was characterized in this study. This enzyme hydrolyzed sucrose and dextran, but not other glucans (starch, nigeran, cellulose, -soluble glucan). It also hydrolyzed glucan from dental plaque with the activity of 7.38 + 0.66 U/ml, where the activity toward dextran was 31.88 + 1.24 U/ml. The enzyme exhibited the pH optimum of 7 and the temperature optimum of 50 oC. Its optimum stability was at pH 7 and 50 oC. The enzyme was inhibited by Fe3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ag+, but not by the anionic detergent (SDS) and the nonionic detergent (Triton-X). The enzyme was activated by Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, and saliva.