Altermagnetic lifting of Kramers spin degeneracy.

Lifted Kramers spin degeneracy (LKSD) has been among the central topics of condensed-matter physics since the dawn of the band theory of solids1,2. It underpins established practical applications as well as current frontier research, ranging from magnetic-memory technology3-7 to topological quantum matter8-14. Traditionally, LKSD has been considered to originate from two possible internal symmetry-breaking mechanisms. The first refers to time-reversal symmetry breaking by magnetization of ferromagnets and tends to be strong because of the non-relativistic exchange origin15. The second applies to crystals with broken inversion symmetry and tends to be comparatively weaker, as it originates from the relativistic spin-orbit coupling (SOC)16-19. A recent theory work based on spin-symmetry classification has identified an unconventional magnetic phase, dubbed altermagnetic20,21, that allows for LKSD without net magnetization and inversion-symmetry breaking. Here we provide the confirmation using photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. We identify two distinct unconventional mechanisms of LKSD generated by the altermagnetic phase of centrosymmetric MnTe with vanishing net magnetization20-23. Our observation of the altermagnetic LKSD can have broad consequences in magnetism. It motivates exploration and exploitation of the unconventional nature of this magnetic phase in an extended family of materials, ranging from insulators and semiconductors to metals and superconductors20,21, that have been either identified recently or perceived for many decades as conventional antiferromagnets21,24,25.

Valley-Polarized Quantum Hall Phase in a Strain-Controlled Dirac System.

In multivalley systems, the valley pseudospin offers rich physics going from encoding of information by its polarization (valleytronics), to exploring novel phases of matter when its degeneracy is changed. Here, by strain engineering, we reveal fully valley-polarized quantum Hall phases in the Pb_{1-x}Sn_{x}Se Dirac system. Remarkably, when the valley energy splitting exceeds the fundamental band gap, we observe a "bipolar quantum Hall phase," heralded by the coexistence of hole and electron chiral edge states at distinct valleys in the same quantum well. This suggests that spatially overlaid counterpropagating chiral edge states emerging at different valleys do not interfere with each other.

Surface Effects on the Mott-Hubbard Transition in Archetypal V{2}O{3}.

We present an experimental and theoretical study exploring surface effects on the evolution of the metal-insulator transition in the model Mott-Hubbard compound Cr-doped V{2}O{3}. We find a microscopic domain formation that is clearly affected by the surface crystallographic orientation. Using scanning photoelectron microscopy and x-ray diffraction, we find that surface defects act as nucleation centers for the formation of domains at the temperature-induced isostructural transition and favor the formation of microscopic metallic regions. A density-functional theory plus dynamical mean-field theory study of different surface terminations shows that the surface reconstruction with excess vanadyl cations leads to doped, and hence more metallic, surface states, which explains our experimental observations.

First Report of Fire Blight Caused by Erwinia amylovora on Pear in Tunisia.

In the spring of 2012 and 2013, symptoms similar to those of fire blight were observed on pear trees (Pyrus communis cv. Alexandrine, Williams) in Tunisia at flowering stages. Disease symptoms appeared in 2012 in the region of Mornag and in the following year extended to the regions of Manouba and Tebourba. More recently, the disease was observed in the regions of Bizerte, Zaghouan, and Beja. The percentages of orchard areas that had infected plants varied from 10 to 40%. Some orchards in Mornag region exhibited more than 75% disease incidence. Symptoms were observed on flowers and young shoots. Blighted blossoms appeared wilted, shriveled, and brown, and dead flowers remained on the stems. Infected shoots wilted rapidly and often formed shepherd's crooks at their tips. Samples of diseased young shoots and flowers were subjected to pathogen isolation and identification. Bacteria were isolated from washed tissues on King's B medium (KB) (1). Colonies with morphology similar to that of Erwinia amylovora were purified by sub-culturing on KB. The strains were first characterized based on morphology and biochemical tests (1). Sixteen strains produced white colonies on KB, were gram-negative, did not produce a fluorescent pigment on KB, did not grow at 35°C, and induced a hypersensitive reaction when infiltrated into tobacco leaves (cv. Xanthi). These strains were identified as E. amylovora by double-antibody sandwich indirect-ELISA and immunofluorescene microscopy using a polyclonal antibody (2) and nested PCR targeting the pEA29 plasmid (3). Pathogenicity was tested using a detached-fruit assay (1). Each strain was inoculated onto three pear fruit (cv. Alexandrine) wounded with a scalpel dipped in a 109 CFU/ml bacterial suspension. The inoculated fruit were incubated at 25°C and 80% relative humidity in plates with sterile 1% agar. Negative controls consisted of fruit wounded with a scalpel dipped in sterile distilled water. Seven days after inoculation, symptoms of discoloration, browning, and production of bacterial ooze appeared at the inoculated points. No symptoms developed on negative controls. Reisolation of bacteria yielded colonies with characteristics of E. amylovora. Purified amplicons from nested PCR were sequenced (KF302525, KF302526) and a BLAST search of the GenBank database revealed 98% homology with E. amylovora strain HF560643.1. References: (1) Anonymous. OEPP/EPPO Bull. 34:159, 2004. (2) M. T. Gorris et al. Acta Hortic. 411:41, 1996. (3) P. Llop et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66:2071, 2000.

Protective effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens against infections of Citrus aurantium seedlings by Phoma tracheiphila.

Isolate TEB1 an antagonistic endophytic bacterium, obtained from citrus leaves and identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by 16S rDNA sequencing, was used for the biological control of mal secco disease of Citrus aurantium seedlings caused by the mitosporic fungus Phoma tracheiphila. The isolate TEB1 exhibited a good in vitro activity against P. tracheiphila in dual cultures as well as with the well diffusion method. C. aurantium seedlings watered with a suspension of TEB1 cells showed a reduction of 53.61 and 48.63% in disease severity and incidence, respectively. A PCR test with specific primers was performed 365 days after inoculation and P. tracheiphila was detected along the whole stem in inoculated control plant while no amplification product was obtained in TEB1 treated seedlings. Molecular analysis of TEB1 revealed a positive amplification of fenD and ituC genes responsible of the biosynthesis of fengycin and iturin lipopeptides, respectively. Moreover, observations by optical microscope showed that TEB1 reduced by 55% the germination of P. tracheiphila conidia and exhibited a marked effect on mycelia structure. Data suggest that lipopeptides produced by the bacterium interact with the cytoplasmic membrane of the fungus causing pore formation. TEB1 appears a potential candidate for the biological control of citrus mal secco disease.

Circular dichroism and superdiffusive transport at the surface of BiTeI.

We investigate the electronic states of BiTeI after the optical pumping with circularly polarized photons. Our data show that photoexcited electrons reach an internal thermalization within 300 fs of the arrival of the pump pulse. Instead, the dichroic contrast generated by the circularly polarized light relaxes on a time scale shorter than 80 fs. This result implies that orbital and spin polarization created by the circular pump pulse rapidly decays via manybody interaction. The persistent dichroism at longer delay times is due to the helicity dependence of superdiffussive transport. We ascribe it to the lack of inversion symmetry in an electronic system far from equilibrium conditions.

Ultrafast surface carrier dynamics in the topological insulator Bi2Te3.

We discuss the ultrafast evolution of the surface electronic structure of the topological insulator Bi(2)Te(3) following a femtosecond laser excitation. Using time and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, we provide a direct real-time visualization of the transient carrier population of both the surface states and the bulk conduction band. We find that the thermalization of the surface states is initially determined by interband scattering from the bulk conduction band, lasting for about 0.5 ps; subsequently, few picoseconds are necessary for the Dirac cone nonequilibrium electrons to recover a Fermi-Dirac distribution, while their relaxation extends over more than 10 ps. The surface sensitivity of our measurements makes it possible to estimate the range of the bulk-surface interband scattering channel, indicating that the process is effective over a distance of 5 nm or less. This establishes a correlation between the nanoscale thickness of the bulk charge reservoir and the evolution of the ultrafast carrier dynamics in the surface Dirac cone.

Biological control of grey mould in strawberry fruits by halophilic bacteria.

AIMS: Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is an economically important disease of strawberries in Tunisia and worldwide. The aim of this study was to select effective halophilic bacteria from hypersaline ecosystems and evaluate the abilities of antifungal bacteria to secrete extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, anti-Botrytis metabolites and volatiles. METHODS AND RESULTS: Grey mould was reduced in strawberry fruits treated with halophilic antagonists and artificially inoculated with B. cinerea. Thirty strains (20.2%) were active against the pathogen and reduced the percentage of fruits infected after 3 days of storage at 20 degrees C, from 50% to 91.66%. The antagonists were characterized by phenotypic tests and 16S rDNA sequencing. They were identified as belonging to one of the species: Virgibacillus marismortui, B. subtilis, B. pumilus, B. licheniformis, Terribacillus halophilus, Halomonas elongata, Planococcus rifietoensis, Staphylococcus equorum and Staphylococcus sp. The effective isolates were tested for antifungal secondary metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: Moderately halophilic bacteria may be useful in biological control against this pathogen during postharvest storage of strawberries. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The use of such bacteria may constitute an important alternative to synthetic fungicides. These moderate halophiles can be exploited in commercial production and application of the effective strains under storage and greenhouse conditions.

Tuning a Schottky barrier in a photoexcited topological insulator with transient Dirac cone electron-hole asymmetry.

The advent of Dirac materials has made it possible to realize two-dimensional gases of relativistic fermions with unprecedented transport properties in condensed matter. Their photoconductive control with ultrafast light pulses is opening new perspectives for the transmission of current and information. Here we show that the interplay of surface and bulk transient carrier dynamics in a photoexcited topological insulator can control an essential parameter for photoconductivity-the balance between excess electrons and holes in the Dirac cone. This can result in a strongly out of equilibrium gas of hot relativistic fermions, characterized by a surprisingly long lifetime of more than 50 ps, and a simultaneous transient shift of chemical potential by as much as 100 meV. The unique properties of this transient Dirac cone make it possible to tune with ultrafast light pulses a relativistic nanoscale Schottky barrier, in a way that is impossible with conventional optoelectronic materials.

Deoxynivalenol contamination in Tunisian barley in the 2009 harvest.

In Tunisia, barley is commonly used in human consumption in a variety of food forms. In this regard, a high quality of this agricultural product is always demanded by consumers. A survey of the natural occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON), the most common Fusarium mycotoxin in small grain cereals, in barley harvested in the main cropping regions in Northern Tunisia in the 2009 harvest was conducted. A total of 72 samples were analysed for DON using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV visible detector set at 220 nm. Between 36% and 100% of the samples were positive for DON with averages ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 mg kg(-1). A positive correlation between DON levels and temperature was seen; on the other side no correlation between DON contents and rainfall was observed. In this study we notably showed the effect of regions on DON contamination.

Biodiversity of Trichoderma strains in Tunisia.

Trichoderma strains were sampled in 4 different bioclimatic zones of Tunisia, a Mediterranean North African country with strong climatic and edaphic variability from north to south, to assess the genetic diversity of endemic species of Trichoderma and their relationship to the bioclimatic zones. In all, 53 strains were isolated and identified at the species level by analysis of their internal transcribed spacers regions 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) of the rDNA cluster and (or) a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1 (tef1) gene, using an online interactive key for species identification in Trichoderma and ex-type strains and taxonomically established isolates of Trichoderma as references. At least 2 different species were observed in each ecosystem. Trichoderma harzianum clade VI and Trichoderma longibrachiatum were present in forest soils in north Tunisia; Trichoderma atroviride and Trichoderma hamatum were found in cultivated fields in northeast Tunisia; T. harzianum clade VI, a Trichoderma sp. close to the T. harzianum complex, and Trichoderma saturnisporum were isolated from forest soils in central Tunisia; and T. harzianum clade II and T. hamatum were present in oasis soils in south Tunisia.