SummaryAmong the 12 varieties of tea tested against three isolates of Pestalotiopsis theae, causal agent of grey blight disease, Teen Ali‐17/1/54 and TV‐23 were found to be highly susceptible while CP‐1 and TV‐26 were resistant under identical conditions. Leaf antigens were prepared from all the tea varieties, three isolates of P. theae and a non‐pathogen of tea (Bipolaris tetramera). Polyclonal antisera were raised against mycelial suspensions of P. theae (isolate Pt‐2) and leaf antigens of Teen Ali‐17/1/54 and CP‐1. These were compared an immunodiffusion test and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay to detect cross reactive antigens (CRA) shared the host and the parasite. CRA were found among the susceptible varieties and isolates of P. theae (Pt‐1, 2 and 3). Such antigens were not detected between isolates of P. theae and resistant varieties, B. tetramera and tea varieties or isolates of P. theae. Indirect staining of antibodies using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) indicated that in cross sections of tea leaves, the CRA was concentrated in the epidermal cells and mesophyll tissues. CRA was present in the young hyphal tips of the mycelia and on the setulae and appendages of the conidia of P. theae.

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Bacterial cankcr, spot, and speck of romatoes (Lycopersicon esculennnn Milir.) caused by Corynebacteriu.tn mi.chi.ganerue (E.F.S.) Jensen, Xanthontonas uesicatoria (Doidge) Dows., and Pseudomonds tolndto (Okabe) Burk., respectively, were symptomatologically differentiated on 2-to 3-week-old spray-inoculated seedlings only under conditions of 87-97% relative humidity tnd 23-28'C temperature. The numerical threshold of infection of both C. mi.chiganense andP. totnato was 1X106 cells/ml and that ol X. vesicatorla u'as 1X103 cells/ml.Preinoculation host injury and an inocuium concentrarion of 1X10" cells/ml 'were most favorable for high incidence of the diseases.Characteristic symptoms incited by the canker organism were (1) small whitish pimpleJike spois developing into'raised blisrerlike lesions on'tire lamina, (2) elongated swellings on veins, and (3) cankers on the hypocoryl. The distinctive symftoms of thE bacterial' spor'dis""r" were (1) small lreenish-yellow to brown leaf spots, (2) large yellow blotches becoming necrotic and producing a severe blight effect on leaves, and (3) light-brown iueaks on the hypocotyl.The distine-uishins symptoms of the'soeci dit."r. were discrere daik-bro*"n spots and irccasioial' mirgina.l necrori; areas on leaves and coryledons. On cotyledols, both C. michiganense a,nd X. vesicatoria produ,ced, identical minute rvhitish flaky spots often-with greenish cenrers. Sometimes rhese spors coalesccd and iesulted in wrinkline of the surface of the cowledon.

Isolates of Xanthomonas phaseoli var. fuscans (Burkh.) Starr & Burkh. obtained from naturally infected bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seeds stored at 10 C for 2–4 months were more virulent, as indicated by a stunting effect on Sanilac bean plants, than isolates obtained from seeds stored for 7–24 months. Neither the rate of growth of the organism nor its ability to produce a brown diffusible pigment was correlated with virulence. Growth rate and pigment production of all isolates in nutrient broth were similar and reached a maximum after 36 and 48 h respectively. In a medium containing inorganic salts and yeast extract, the growth rate of the organism was relatively slow and pigment development depended upon amendments added to the medium. Tyrosine enhanced, while glucose retarded, pigment production, but neither affected the growth of the pathogen adversely. The formation and color of the pigment in the media were not affected by pH values ranging from 5.5 to 9.0. The presence of living cells was essential for the continued production of the pigment. The melanoid nature of the pigment was demonstrated.

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Although Rauvolfia serpentine Benth. can be propagated by both seeds and vegetative propagules, growth of plant and root yield are better in those raised from seeds (Badhwar et al. 1956). But germination of seeds is much lower (Nayar 1956, Dutta et al. 1962. Moreover, collection of seeds from wild sources is both laborious and costly, inasmuch as the plants grow sporadically and the seeds ripen a few at a time. If the ripe seeds are not collected in time, they drop off to the ground and are lost. For these reasons seeds are not easily available from wild sources. Therefore, in the present investigation attempts have been made to improve the germination percentage of seeds of R. serpentina.Freshly collected seeds of R. serpentina were subjected to the following treatments: 1. Mechanical scarification: Individual seeds were rubbed against sand paper or grind stone or nicked with a needle. 2. Hot water soaking: The seeds held in a netting wire were soaked in hot water at 80±2 0 C for 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes. 3. Sulphuric acid treatment: The seeds were dipped in conc. sulphuric acid for 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 40, 60 and 90 minutes, after which the seeds were thoroughly washed in running tap water and dried on paper towels. 4. Hydrochloric acid treatment: As in sulphuric acid treatment. 5. Heat treatment: For dry heating, the seeds were exposed to temperatures of 70, 80 and 90 0 C for 16, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours duration in an oven. 6. Pre-sowing seed treatment with chemicals: Seeds were soaked for 24 hours in the following chemicals: 1% boric acid, 1% calcium hydroxide, 1% sodium dihydrogen phosphate, 1% potassium nitrate, 0.5% thiourea, 100 ppm GA3 and 100 ppm NAA. Interactive effects of KNO3 with GA3 and NAA were also investigated. Pre-soaked seeds were re-dried for 24 hours in a stream of air. Untreated seeds were used as control. Germination tests were replicated thrice. Seeds were placed on two layers of blotting paper in petri dishes of 9 cm diameter. A seed regarded as germinated when radicle was approximately 5 mm in length.

The present investigation was a lectin-based diagnosis of malignant prostate cancer (pC) by the interaction of phytohemagglutinin (pHa lectin) from Phaseolus vulgaris with the glycan part of serum prostate specific antigen (psa) of patients with prostatic disorder. This was confirmed by the interaction between pHa and purified psa obtained from serum by electrophoretic separation and finally by HplC chromatography. The precipitate of carbohydrate content after binding of pHa with purified psa of pC was significantly higher than that of benign prostate hyperplasia (BpH) and/or normal serum psa. The results suggest that there may be a striking difference in glycosylation pattern of psa between BpH and pC. The cut off value ≥ 10 µg/ml of the carbohydrate content of pHa-psa precipitate indicates strong suspicion for pC irrespective of total serum psa cut off level ≥ 4.0ng/ml by conventional immunoassay method and this may be taken as a guideline in differentiating pC and BpH.Key words: prostate cancer, BPH, PSA, lectin. * Corresponding authorThe interest of the sugar specific proteins, lectins, have greatly intensified with the realization that they react with a variety of glycoproteins [1,2]. The interaction takes place between the glycan moiety of glycoproteins and the carbohydrate binding receptors of lectins. The reactions of biomedical glycoprotein markers with lectins were studied as valuable tools for clinical diagnosis [3]. It was observed that pHa lectin (Phaseolus vulgaris), reacts with different serum proteins and glycoproteins [4]. estimation of serum prostate specific antigen (psa) for detection of prostate cancer (pC) is determined by the sensitive immunoassay method. a low serum psa cut-off level of 4.0 ng/ml is used during screening procedure to detect pC at an early stage but an appreciable risk of false positive results was observed with this low cut off value resulting in unnecessary biopsies for those with BpH [5]. some serum psa samples of patients with clinically proven benign prostate hyperplasia (BpH) showed higher value than 4ng/ ml [6] and a few histologically proven pC patients indicated normal serum psa level [7] in immunoassay method. The techniques currently used in immunodetection of serum psa concentration are of limited clinical value in the early detection of pC and its distinction from BpH had already been reported by us [8]. psa is known to be a glycoprotein and preliminary observations indicate that psa binds with pHa.Further,a few studies have discussed the changes in sugar-chain structure of psa associated with malignant transformation [9].Therefore, the present investigation was designed to quick identification of suspected pC by interaction of pHa lectin with the glycan part of serum psa glycoprotein and differentiation of pC from BpH. Patients and methodsChemicals. pHa lectin (phaseolus vulgaris) was purchased from sigma Chemical Co. all other chemicals were of analytical grade.Samples. serum samples of 22 male histologically proven prostate cancer (pC) patients (age between...