SARS-CoV-2 detection in multi-sample pools in a real pandemic scenario: A screening strategy of choice for active surveillance.

Background: The current COVID-19 pandemic has overloaded the diagnostic capacity of laboratories by the gold standard method rRT-PCR. This disease has a high spread rate and almost a quarter of infected individuals never develop symptoms. In this scenario, active surveillance is crucial to stop the virus propagation.

Diversity of black Aspergilli isolated from raisins in Argentina: Polyphasic approach to species identification and development of SCAR markers for Aspergillus ibericus.

Aspergillus section Nigri is a heterogeneous fungal group including some ochratoxin A producer species that usually contaminate raisins. The section contains the Series Carbonaria which includes the toxigenic species Aspergillus carbonarius and nontoxigenic Aspergillus ibericus that are phenotypically undistinguishable. The aim of this study was to examine the diversity of black aspergilli isolated from raisins and to develop a specific genetic marker to distinguish A.

Factors affecting distribution and abundance of Aspergillus section Nigri in vineyard soils from grapevine growing regions of Argentina.

Background: Aspergillus species belonging to section Nigri are the main fungi responsible for ochratoxin (OTA) contamination in grapes and wine. These species live as saprophytes in the superficial layer of the vineyard soil. We evaluated the biodiversity of potentially ochratoxigenic strains of Aspergillus section Nigri isolated from vineyard soils from different grapevine growing regions of Argentina.

Hydrolytic enzymes production by Aspergillus section Nigri in presence of butylated hydroxyanisole and propyl paraben on peanut meal extract agar.

Background: In the last years, food grade antioxidants are used safely as an alternative to traditional fungicides to control fungal growth in several food and agricultural products.

Aims: In this work, the effect of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and propyl paraben (PP) on two hydrolytic enzyme activity (β-d-glucosidase and α-d-galactosidase) by Aspergillus section Nigri species under different water activity conditions (aW; 0.98, 0.

Development of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-derived specific primer for the detection of Fusarium solani aetiological agent of peanut brown root rot.

Aims: The objective of this work was to design an amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)-derived specific primer for the detection of Fusarium solani aetiological agent of peanut brown root rot (PBRR) in plant material and soil.

Methods And Results: Specific primers for the detection of the pathogen were designed based on an amplified region using AFLPs. The banding patterns by AFLPs showed that isolates from diseased roots were clearly distinguishable from others members of the F.

Evaluation of potential biocontrol agent for aflatoxin in Argentinean peanuts.

Biocontrol by competitive exclusion has been developed as the most promising means of controlling aflatoxins in peanuts. A 2-year study was carried out to determine the efficacy of an Aspergillus flavus strain as biocontrol agent to reduce aflatoxin production in peanuts under field conditions in Argentina. The competitive strain used was a nontoxigenic A.