Winter diet of bats in working forests of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain.

Working forests comprise a large proportion of forested landscapes in the southeastern United States and are important to the conservation of bats, which rely on forests for roosting and foraging. While relationships between bat ecology and forest management are well studied during summer, winter bat ecology remains understudied. Hence, we aimed to identify the diet composition of overwintering bats, compare the composition of prey consumed by bat species, and determine the potential role of forest bats as pest controllers in working forest landscapes of the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain. During January to March 2021-2022, we captured 264 bats of eight species. We used DNA metabarcoding to obtain diet composition from 126 individuals of seven bat species identifying 22 orders and 174 families of arthropod prey. Although Coleoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera were the most consumed orders, we found that bats had a generalist diet but with significant differences among some species. We also documented the consumption of multiple insect pests (e.g., Rhyacionia frustrana) and disease vectors (e.g., Culex spp). Our results provide important information regarding the winter diet of bats in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain and their potential role in controlling economically relevant pest species and disease vectors.

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of clinically isolated antibiotics-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), E. coli (ESBL) and Acinetobacter 1379 bacterial strains.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria causing nosocomial infections pose a significant global health concern. This study focused on examining the lipid profiles of both non-resistant and clinically resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA 1418), E. coli (ESBL 1384), and Acinetobacter 1379. The main aim was to investigate the relationship between lipid profiles, hydrophobicity, and antibiotic resistance so as to identify the pathogenic potential and resistance factors of strains isolated from patients with sepsis and urinary tract infections (UTIs). The research included various tests, such as antimicrobial susceptibility assays following CLSI guidelines, biochemical tests, biofilm assays, and hydrophobicity assays. Additionally, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-Flame Ionization Detector (GC-FID) analysis were used for lipid profiling and composition. The clinically isolated resistant strains (MRSA-1418, ESBL-1384, and Acinetobacter 1379) demonstrated resistance phenotypes of 81.80%, 27.6%, and 63.6%, respectively, with a multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.81, 0.27, and 0.63. Notably, the MRSA-1418 strain, which exhibited resistance, showed significantly higher levels of hemolysin, cell surface hydrophobicity, biofilm index, and a self-aggregative phenotype compared to the non-resistant strains. Gene expression analysis using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Indicated elevated expression levels of intercellular adhesion biofilm-related genes (icaA, icaC, and icaD) in MRSA-1418 (pgaA, pgaC, and pgaB) and Acinetobacter 1379 after 24 h compared to non-resistant strains. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for structural investigation. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of biofilms in antibiotic resistance and suggest potential target pathways for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

The role of Manganese in tree defenses against pests and pathogens.

Manganese (Mn) deficiency is a widespread occurrence across different landscapes, including agricultural systems and managed forests, and causes interruptions in the normal metabolic functioning of plants. The microelement is well-characterized for its role in the oxygen-evolving complex in photosystem II and maintenance of photosynthetic structures. Mn is also required for a variety of enzymatic reactions in secondary metabolism, which play a crucial role in defense strategies for trees. Despite the strong relationship between Mn availability and the biosynthesis of defense-related compounds, there are few studies addressing how Mn deficiency can impact tree defense mechanisms and the ensuing ecological patterns and processes. Understanding this relationship and highlighting the potentially deleterious effects of Mn deficiency in trees can also inform silvicultural and management decisions to build more robust forests. In this review, we address this relationship, focusing on forest trees. We describe Mn availability in forest soils, characterize the known impacts of Mn deficiency in plant susceptibility, and discuss the relationship between Mn and defense-related compounds by secondary metabolite class. In our review, we find several lines of evidence that low Mn availability is linked with lowered or altered secondary metabolite activity. Additionally, we compile documented instances where Mn limitation has altered the defense capabilities of the host plant and propose potential ecological repercussions when studies are not available. Ultimately, this review aims to highlight the importance of untangling the effects of Mn limitation on the ecophysiology of plants, with a focus on forest trees in both managed and natural stands.

Potential for a minor pine bark beetle pest, Dendroctonus terebrans (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), to mediate host location by a major pine killer, Dendroctonus frontalis.

The southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann is an important mortality agent of Pinus in the eastern United States of America where it commonly shares hosts with the black turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier), which infrequently kills trees. Unlike D. frontalis, which must kill its hosts to become established in the bark and reproduce, D. terebrans can occupy living hosts as a parasite. Olfactory mechanisms whereby D. frontalis initially locates hosts have not been demonstrated, whereas D. terebrans responds strongly to host odors. Because D. terebrans produces frontalin, the primary aggregation pheromone component for D. frontalis, and commonly arrives on hosts prior to D. frontalis, it has been hypothesized that D. terebrans pheromone components can mediate D. frontalis location of suitable, living trees. We assessed this possibility with studies of the semiochemical interactions between D. frontalis and D. terebrans. Coupled gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection analyses indicated that D. terebrans produces nine different olfactory stimulants for D. frontalis, nearly all of them known semiochemicals for D. frontalis. A trapping experiment designed to address the potentially confounding influence of lure contamination confirmed that the D. terebrans pheromone component exo-brevicomin enhances attraction of D. frontalis and thus could be an attractive kairomone. In ambulatory bioassays, male D. frontalis were strongly attracted to odors of frass of solitary female and paired D. terebrans, indicating their attraction to the naturally occurring semiochemicals of D. terebrans. Cues from D. terebrans may influence host and mate-finding success of D. frontalis and, thereby, the latter's virulence.

Bioaccumulation of contaminants in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at sites polluted by coal combustion residuals and radiocesium.

Anthropogenic contamination from coal-fired power plants and nuclear reactors is a pervasive issue impacting ecosystems across the globe. As a result, it is critical that studies continue to assess the accumulation and effects of trace elements and radionuclides in a diversity of biota. In particular, bioindicator species are a powerful tool for risk assessment of chemically contaminated habitats. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and auto-gamma counting, we analyzed trace element and radiocesium contaminant concentrations in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles (Order: Coleoptera), important taxa in decomposition and nutrient cycling, at contaminated and reference sites on the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, U.S. Our results revealed variability in trace element concentrations between Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at uncontaminated and contaminated sites. Compared to Scarabaeidae, Silphidae had higher levels of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). Unexpectedly, concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Ni were higher in both taxa at the uncontaminated sites. Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at the coal combustion waste site consistently had high concentrations of arsenic (As), and Scarabaeidae had high concentrations of selenium (Se). Of the 50 beetles analyzed for radiocesium levels, two had elevated radioactivity concentrations, both of which were from a site contaminated with radionuclides. Our results suggest carrion beetles may be particularly sensitive to bioaccumulation of contaminants due to their trophic position and role in decomposition, and thus are useful sentinels of trace element and radionuclide contamination.

The Global Forest Health Crisis: A Public-Good Social Dilemma in Need of International Collective Action.

Society is confronted by interconnected threats to ecological sustainability. Among these is the devastation of forests by destructive non-native pathogens and insects introduced through global trade, leading to the loss of critical ecosystem services and a global forest health crisis. We argue that the forest health crisis is a public-good social dilemma and propose a response framework that incorporates principles of collective action. This framework enables scientists to better engage policymakers and empowers the public to advocate for proactive biosecurity and forest health management. Collective action in forest health features broadly inclusive stakeholder engagement to build trust and set goals; accountability for destructive pest introductions; pooled support for weakest-link partners; and inclusion of intrinsic and nonmarket values of forest ecosystems in risk assessment. We provide short-term and longer-term measures that incorporate the above principles to shift the societal and ecological forest health paradigm to a more resilient state.

Extensive regional variation in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature across North America.

Climate change models often assume similar responses to temperatures across the range of a species, but local adaptation or phenotypic plasticity can lead plants and animals to respond differently to temperature in different parts of their range. To date, there have been few tests of this assumption at the scale of continents, so it is unclear if this is a large-scale problem. Here, we examined the assumption that insect taxa show similar responses to temperature at 96 sites in grassy habitats across North America. We sampled insects with Malaise traps during 2019-2021 (N = 1041 samples) and examined the biomass of insects in relation to temperature and time of season. Our samples mostly contained Diptera (33%), Lepidoptera (19%), Hymenoptera (18%), and Coleoptera (10%). We found strong regional differences in the phenology of insects and their response to temperature, even within the same taxonomic group, habitat type, and time of season. For example, the biomass of nematoceran flies increased across the season in the central part of the continent, but it only showed a small increase in the Northeast and a seasonal decline in the Southeast and West. At a smaller scale, insect biomass at different traps operating on the same days was correlated up to ~75 km apart. Large-scale geographic and phenological variation in insect biomass and abundance has not been studied well, and it is a major source of controversy in previous analyses of insect declines that have aggregated studies from different locations and time periods. Our study illustrates that large-scale predictions about changes in insect populations, and their causes, will need to incorporate regional and taxonomic differences in the response to temperature.

Disasters collide at the intersection of extreme weather and infectious diseases.

Natural disasters interact to affect the resilience and prosperity of communities and disproportionately affect low income families and communities of colour. However, due to lack of a common theoretical framework, these are rarely quantified. Observing severe weather events (e.g. hurricanes and tornadoes) and epidemics (e.g. COVID-19) unfolding in southeastern US communities led us to conjecture that interactions among catastrophic disturbances might be much more considerable than previously recognized. For instance, hurricane evacuations increase human aggregation, a factor that affects the transmission of acute infections like SARS-CoV-2. Similarly, weather damage to health infrastructure can reduce a community's ability to provide services to people who are ill. As globalization and human population and movement continue to increase and weather events are becoming more intense, such complex interactions are expected to magnify and significantly impact environmental and human health.

Interaction study of aflatoxin M1 with milk proteins using ATR-FTIR.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) is a metabolite of carcinogenic aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and appears in milk of dairy animals on ingestion of feed contaminated with AFB1. It has been reported to have affinity towards milk proteins, the exact mechanism of which is still unknown. In the present study, ATR-FTIR coupled with chemometrics is utilized to understand AFM1 interaction with milk proteins. The second order derivative spectra of the spectral window 1700-1600 cm-1 confirms the affinity of AFM1 towards milk proteins. The results of principal component analysis suggested that spectral window of 1700-1600 cm-1 is informative and provides an indication of the conformational changes brought by AFM1 in the secondary structure of milk proteins. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-022-05587-x.

Phylogenetic risk assessment is robust for forecasting the impact of European insects on North American conifers.

Some introduced species cause severe damage, although the majority have little impact. Robust predictions of which species are most likely to cause substantial impacts could focus efforts to mitigate those impacts or prevent certain invasions entirely. Introduced herbivorous insects can reduce crop yield, fundamentally alter natural and managed forest ecosystems, and are unique among invasive species in that they require certain host plants to succeed. Recent studies have demonstrated that understanding the evolutionary history of introduced herbivores and their host plants can provide robust predictions of impact. Specifically, divergence times between hosts in the native and introduced ranges of a nonnative insect can be used to predict the potential impact of the insect should it establish in a novel ecosystem. However, divergence time estimates vary among published phylogenetic datasets, making it crucial to understand if and how the choice of phylogeny affects prediction of impact. Here, we tested the robustness of impact prediction to variation in host phylogeny by using insects that feed on conifers and predicting the likelihood of high impact using four different published phylogenies. Our analyses ranked 62 insects that are not established in North America and 47 North American conifer species according to overall risk and vulnerability, respectively. We found that results were robust to the choice of phylogeny. Although published vascular plant phylogenies continue to be refined, our analysis indicates that those differences are not substantial enough to alter the predictions of invader impact. Our results can assist in focusing biosecurity programs for conifer pests and can be more generally applied to nonnative insects and their potential hosts by prioritizing surveillance for those insects most likely to be damaging invaders.

Methods to differentiate between cotton tract area ghee and cotton seed oil adulterated ghee.

Ghee, the clarified butter fat is one of the principal dairy products in India. In some places of India, cotton seed is fed extensively to dairy animals which changes the physico-chemical constants and fatty acid profile of the milk fat. Ghee is often adulterated with cotton seed oil and is marketed as cotton tract area ghee. Physico-chemical constants like RM value, Polenske value, BR reading, saponification value, iodine value and colorimetric tests i.e., Halphen and DPPH radical test were employed to differentiate ghee adulterated with cotton seed oil and that from cotton tract area. Chromatographic techniques like HPLC and GC-MS were also explored. Physico-chemical constants were not useful to differentiate the two types of ghee. Cyclopropenoic acids were observed only in ghee adulterated with cotton seed oil and not in cotton tract ghee. The RP-HPLC could able to distinguish the cotton tract area ghee from ghee adulterated with cotton seed oil on the basis of presence of ß-sitosterol in the latter. Halphen test was positive for cotton tract ghee, but not for the cotton seed oil adulterated ghee. Methylene blue reduction and DPPH radical test were also found to be useful to distinguish both types of ghee.

Migration study of chemical additives from low density polyethylene (LDPE) into dahi.

Dahi is widely used fermented milk product in India. Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is the most extensively used packaging material for Dahi in India. The present study was conducted to develop the analytical methods for extraction and migration of chemical additives from LDPE into dahi. Characterization of dahi packaging materials collected from five different firms was done by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Focused ultrasound solid liquid extraction method was observed to be better as compared to solid liquid extraction method as the former extracted maximum additives from the LDPE. Out of total 76 chemical additives extracted from LDPE, only eight (10.52%) matched with the existing positive list of polyolefins prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standads (BIS). The overall migration of chemical additives from all the LDPE samples was below their maximum limit as given by BIS standards. Chemical additives which migrated into the simulants included the antioxidants, fatty acids and their derivatives, unreacted hydrocarbons, plasticizers, lubricants and surfactant etc.

The effect of natural disturbances on forest biodiversity: an ecological synthesis.

Disturbances alter biodiversity via their specific characteristics, including severity and extent in the landscape, which act at different temporal and spatial scales. Biodiversity response to disturbance also depends on the community characteristics and habitat requirements of species. Untangling the mechanistic interplay of these factors has guided disturbance ecology for decades, generating mixed scientific evidence of biodiversity responses to disturbance. Understanding the impact of natural disturbances on biodiversity is increasingly important due to human-induced changes in natural disturbance regimes. In many areas, major natural forest disturbances, such as wildfires, windstorms, and insect outbreaks, are becoming more frequent, intense, severe, and widespread due to climate change and land-use change. Conversely, the suppression of natural disturbances threatens disturbance-dependent biota. Using a meta-analytic approach, we analysed a global data set (with most sampling concentrated in temperate and boreal secondary forests) of species assemblages of 26 taxonomic groups, including plants, animals, and fungi collected from forests affected by wildfires, windstorms, and insect outbreaks. The overall effect of natural disturbances on α-diversity did not differ significantly from zero, but some taxonomic groups responded positively to disturbance, while others tended to respond negatively. Disturbance was beneficial for taxonomic groups preferring conditions associated with open canopies (e.g. hymenopterans and hoverflies), whereas ground-dwelling groups and/or groups typically associated with shady conditions (e.g. epigeic lichens and mycorrhizal fungi) were more likely to be negatively impacted by disturbance. Across all taxonomic groups, the highest α-diversity in disturbed forest patches occurred under moderate disturbance severity, i.e. with approximately 55% of trees killed by disturbance. We further extended our meta-analysis by applying a unified diversity concept based on Hill numbers to estimate α-diversity changes in different taxonomic groups across a gradient of disturbance severity measured at the stand scale and incorporating other disturbance features. We found that disturbance severity negatively affected diversity for Hill number q = 0 but not for q = 1 and q = 2, indicating that diversity-disturbance relationships are shaped by species relative abundances. Our synthesis of α-diversity was extended by a synthesis of disturbance-induced change in species assemblages, and revealed that disturbance changes the ß-diversity of multiple taxonomic groups, including some groups that were not affected at the α-diversity level (birds and woody plants). Finally, we used mixed rarefaction/extrapolation to estimate biodiversity change as a function of the proportion of forests that were disturbed, i.e. the disturbance extent measured at the landscape scale. The comparison of intact and naturally disturbed forests revealed that both types of forests provide habitat for unique species assemblages, whereas species diversity in the mixture of disturbed and undisturbed forests peaked at intermediate values of disturbance extent in the simulated landscape. Hence, the relationship between α-diversity and disturbance severity in disturbed forest stands was strikingly similar to the relationship between species richness and disturbance extent in a landscape consisting of both disturbed and undisturbed forest habitats. This result suggests that both moderate disturbance severity and moderate disturbance extent support the highest levels of biodiversity in contemporary forest landscapes.

Application of somatic embryogenesis for development of emerald ash borer-resistant white ash and green ash varietals.

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis; EAB) has devastated populations of ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees in dozens of U.S. states and Canada over the past few decades. The continued survival of scattered ash trees known as "lingering ash" in heavily infested natural stands, however, offers evidence of genetic resistance or tolerance to EAB. These surviving or "lingering" ash individuals may form the basis for reforestation programs in EAB-impacted areas, and clonal mass-propagation of these genotypes can help accelerate these efforts. Between 2013 and 2018, we initiated embryogenic cultures by culturing immature zygotic embryos from open-pollinated (OP) seeds collected from several surviving white ash and green ash trees in Michigan and Pennsylvania. In addition, in 2018, we initiated cultures from crosses made between lingering green ash parents from the USDA Forest Service ash breeding program in Ohio. Somatic embryos were produced by growing cultures in liquid suspension, followed by fractionation and plating on semisolid medium to produce developmentally synchronous populations of somatic embryos. Somatic embryo germination and conversion were enhanced by a combination of pre-germination cold treatment and inclusion of activated charcoal and gibberellic acid in the germination medium. Ash somatic seedlings derived from OP explants grew rapidly following transfer to potting mix and somatic seedlings representing nine ash clones were acclimatized, grown in the greenhouse and planted in a preliminary field test, along with EAB-resistant Manchurian ash (F. mandshurica) and EAB-susceptible control seedlings. Somatic seedlings have now been produced from cultures that originated from seeds derived from the progeny of lingering green ash parents and an ex vitro germination protocol has shown some promise for accelerating early somatic seedling growth. Results of this research could provide the basis for scaled-up production of EAB-resistant ash varieties for seed orchard production for forest restoration and cultivar development for urban tree restoration.

Effect of incorporation of iron-whey protein concentrate (Fe-WPC) conjugate on physicochemical characteristics of dahi (curd).

Dahi samples were prepared from milk incorporated with spray-dried iron-whey protein concentrate (Fe-WPC) conjugate and ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) with three different concentrations of iron i.e. 15, 20 and 25 mg/L and their quality characteristics were determined. Fe-WPC conjugate incorporated dahi showed better sensory, textural and physical attributes as compared with those of FeSO4 fortified and control dahi. Non-significant (p > 0.05) changes were observed in attributes like acidity and flavor, color and appearance, body and texture scores of dahi fortified with Fe-WPC conjugate with upto 20 mg/L iron as compared to those of control. In contrast, definite metallic flavor was perceptible in case of FeSO4 incorporated dahi even at 15 mg/L level. Water holding capacity, viscosity and firmness were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in 20 mg/L Fe-WPC conjugate incorporated dahi samples as compared with those of 20 mg/L FeSO4 incorporated dahi samples. In vitro bio accessibility of iron from Fe-WPC conjugate incorporated dahi was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that from FeSO4 incorporated dahi. Therefore, the results indicated that Fe-WPC conjugate can be fortified in dahi with upto 20 mg/L without significantly altering its physicochemical properties and with a higher bioaccessibillity of iron.

Expanded range of eight orchid bee species (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Euglossini) in Costa Rica.

Background: The Monteverde region of Costa Rica is a hotspot of endemism and biodiversity. The region is, however, disturbed by human activities such as agriculture and urbanisation. This study provides a list of orchid bees (Hymenoptera: Euglossini) compiled from field surveys conducted during January-October 2019 in the premontane wet forest of San Luis, Monteverde, Costa Rica. We collected 36 species of Euglossine bees across four genera. We provide new geographic distribution and elevation data for eight species in two genera. Due to their critical role in the pollination of orchids and other plants, the distribution and abundance of Euglossine bees has relevance to plant biodiversity and conservation efforts. This is especially important in a region with a high diversity of difficult-to-study epiphytic orchids, such as in the Monteverde region. New information: A total of 2,742 Euglossine male individuals across four genera (Eufriesea, Eulaema, Euglossa and Exaerete) were collected in this study. Updated geographic distributions and elevation ranges were established for eight species of Euglossini in two genera: Eufrieseamussitans (Fabricius, 1787), Eufriesearufocauda (Kimsey, 1977), Euglossadodsoni (Moure, 1965), Euglossadressleri (Moure, 1968), Euglossahansoni (Moure, 1965), Euglossaignita (Smith, 1874), Euglossatridentata (Moure, 1970) and Euglossaturbinifex (Dressler, 1978). These are the first recorded occurrences of these species in the Monteverde region of Costa Rica, according to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) database (https://doi.org/10.15468/9f9kgp). This study also established expanded elevation ranges for Euglossaallosticta, Euglossabursigera, Euglossamixta, Euglossaheterosticta and Euglossamaculabris, though these five species have been previously recorded in the Monteverde region and, thus, are not described in detail here. Additionally, our capture of 123 Eufrieseaconcava individuals is significant, as it indicates its abundance in this region. Prior to this study, there was a single record of E.concava in the Monteverde region, documented in 1993.

Mason Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) Exhibit No Avoidance of Imidacloprid-Treated Soils.

1) Many wild bee species interact with soil either as a nesting substrate or material. These soil interactions create a risk of exposure to agrochemicals such as imidacloprid or other neonicotinoid pesticides that can persist in soil for months after application. At the landscape level, concentrations of imidacloprid residue in soil are limited to the immediate treatment area, and thus risks to soil-interacting bees could be low if they avoid contaminated soils. 2) We utilized Osmia lignaria (Say), a solitary cavity nesting bee which collects mud to partition and seal nests, and conducted two laboratory experiments to test whether nesting females select or avoid soils containing various levels of imidacloprid residue. For the first experiment, we assessed behavioral responses of females to treated soil utilizing a choice arena and pairing various choices of soil with imidacloprid residues ranging between 0 and 780 ppb. For the second experiment, we developed a laboratory assay to assess soil selection of actively nesting O. lignaria, by providing choices of contaminated soil between 0 and 100 ppb and 0 and 1,000 ppb to nesting females. 3) We found no evidence that O. lignaria females avoided any level of imidacloprid contamination, even at the highest residue level (1,000 ppb) in both the experiments, which may have implications for risk. The in situ nesting methodology developed in this study has future applications for research on soil or pollen preferences of cavity nesting Osmia species, and potential for breeding of O. lignaria in laboratory.

Adulteration of cow's milk with buffalo's milk detected by an on-site carbon nanoparticles-based lateral flow immunoassay.

A competitive lateral flow immunoassay using amorphous carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) and non-immunoglobulin antigen has been developed for the rapid detection of adulteration of cow's milk with buffalo's milk. Purified polyclonal antibodies against a specific buffalo's milk protein fraction were conjugated to CNPs and sprayed on a conjugate pad. The test line consisted of buffalo's skimmed milk proteins (1.6 µg/cm), while the control line contained anti-rabbit antibodies raised in goat (0.5 µg/cm). In the test procedure milk sample is mixed with 100 mM borate buffer (pH 8.8 containing 1% BSA and 0.05% Tween 20) and pipetted onto the sample-cum-conjugate pad. A black/grey test line can be observed if the sample is free from buffalo's milk. The sensitivity of the test i.e. no visible test line is 5% adulteration of cow's milk with buffalo's milk. The test has applicability at the milk receiving stations and can be applied to heated milk samples.

Distinction between glycomacropeptide and ß-lactoglobulin with 'stains all' dye on tricine SDS-PAGE gels.

Identification of glycomacropeptide (GMP) and ß-lactoglobulin (ß-lg) present in cheese whey is difficult on SDS-PAGE due to their close proximity during electrophoresis and poor sensitivity of commonly used staining dye 'coomassie brilliant blue' (CBB) towards GMP. A simple method has been developed for the detection of GMP and ß-lg by staining acrylamide gel after tricine SDS-PAGE using cationic 'stains all' dye. After staining and destaining major whey proteins, viz. ɑ-lactalbumin (ɑ-la) and ß-lg appear red while GMP stains blue. The method can be used for the identification of these macromolecules in cheese whey and the detection of adulteration of milk with rennet whey.