Abstract Severe decline of mature grapevines has recently been observed in several vineyards in grape regions in northern Tunisia. Between August 2011 and June 2013, wood samples from diseased vines showing dead spur and cordons, shoot dieback associated with sunken necrotic bark lesions and brown to black vascular streaking were collected from numerous diseased vineyards. Several fungal species were isolated from the margin between healthy and symptomatic tissue. Three species of Botryosphaeriaceae, namely, Diplodia seriata, Neofusicoccum australe, and N. vitifusiforme and one species of Diaporthaceae, namely, Diaporthe neotheicola, were observed to be associated with the decline of old vines. Other fungal species were recovered from diseased wood, namely, Alternaria alternata, Botryotinia fuckeliana (anamorph of Botrytis cinerea), Acremonium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Fusarium spp. In addition, Penicillium spp. inter- and intra-species diversity were assessed based on virtual RFLP gel analyses and identification of restriction enzymes able to distinguish fungi strains within species based on determination of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) lineages within cluster members based on the sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) region of the rDNA.

Resumen Recientemente se ha observado un fuerte deterioro de las vides maduras en varios viñedos de las regiones de uva del norte de Túnez. Entre agosto de 2011 y junio de 2013, se recolectaron muestras de madera de vid enfermas que mostraban espolones y cordones muertos, desvirones de tallos asociados con lesiones de corteza necrótica hundidas y rayas vasculares de color café a negro de numerosos viñedos enfermos. Se aislaron varias especies de hongos del margen entre tejido sano y sintomático. Tres especies de Botryosphaeriaceae, a saber, Diplodia seriata, Neofusicoccum australe, y N. vitifusiforme y una especie de Diaporthaceae, a saber, Diaporthe neotheicola, se observaron a ser asociado con la disminución de viñas viejas. Otras especies fúngicas se recuperaron de la madera enferma, a saber, Alternaria alternata, Botryotinia fuckeliana (anamorfo de Botrytis cinerea), Acremonium spp., Aspergillus spp. Y Fusarium spp. Además, Penicillium spp. inter e intra-diversidad especies fueron evaluados en base del gel RFLP virtual análisis y la identificación de las enzimas de restricción capaz de distinguir cepas de hongos dentro de las especies basado en la determinación del polimorfismo de un solo nucleótido (SNP) linajes dentro de los miembros de clúster en base a la secuenciación del espaciador transcrito interno (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) región del rDNA.

Wheat germ oil was obtained by mechanical pressing using a small-scale screw press and by supercritical extraction in a pilot plant. With this last method, different pressures and temperatures were tested and the tocopherol concentration in the extract was monitored during extraction. Then supercritical extracted oil as well as commercial pressed oil were deacidified in a countercurrent column using supercritical carbon dioxide as solvent under different operating conditions. Samples of extract, refined oil and feed oil were analyzed for free fatty acids (FFA) and tocopherol contents. The results show that oil with a higher tocopherol content can be obtained by supercritical extraction-fractionation and that FFA can be effectively removed by countercurrent rectification while the tocopherol content is only slightly reduced.