New Infestation of Branched Broomrape, Orobanche ramosa (Orobanchaceae), on Black Medic, (Medicago lupulina) (Fabaceae), in Virginia.

Orobanche ramosa L. is arguably the most insidious of the major broomrapes, achlorophyllous root parasites of various row crops (4). It has a broad host range and is the most widely spread of any agronomically important broomrape. In the United States, California, Kentucky, and Texas have persistent populations. The California and Texas populations are carefully monitored. Isolated and ephemeral occurrences were reported from New Jersey and a New York greenhouse (1). In May 2006, remnants of capsules were found by a botany student in an urban area of Norfolk, VA. We visited the site during May 2007 and found a flowering population of approximately 100 plants parasitizing Medicago lupulina L. On the basis of size, color, and shape of the corolla and capsule and the branching pattern, the species was determined to be O. ramosa, part of a complex of closely related taxa that is currently undergoing revision. It differs from native broomrapes and the widely introduced O. minor because of its corolla color and branching habit (2). To our knowledge, this is the first record on M. lupulina although other species of Medicago are known hosts (L. J. Musselman, unpublished data). The site of the infestation is an approximately 230-m2 mowed area next to a carwash, suggesting that seeds could have come from trash removed from cars at the vacuuming station that vents onto the mowed area. Since the carwash is near a large naval base with a transient population, seeds could have come from anywhere in the world. This species exhibits little host specificity, and earlier studies have shown that numerous crops can be parasitized by plants grown from seed collected from broomrape on wild or ornamental hosts (3). Crops grown in the Middle Atlantic Region, which are especially susceptible to parasitism by O. ramosa, include potato (Solanum tuberosum), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Because of the broad host range and potential damage by this parasite, as well as its record of expanding distribution, agricultural workers should be aware of its presence in the Mid-Atlantic States. Voucher specimens from this infestation have been deposited at the following herbaria: ODU, NCU, and VPI ( http://sciweb.nybg.org/science2/IndexHerbariorum.asp ). At the time of this publication, the USDA APHIS has initiated a control program for this first documented population in Virginia (2). References: (1) R. Jain and C. L. Foy. Weed Technol. 3:608, 1989. (2) L. J. Musselman. Castanea 47:266, 1982. (3) L. J. Musselman and C. Parker. Econ. Bot. 36:270, 1982. (4) D. L. Nickrent and L. J. Musselman. The Plant Health Instructor. Online publication. doi: 10.1094/PHI-I-2004-0330-01, 2004.

Passive smoking. Effects on bronchial asthma.

Ten patients with bronchial asthma and ten control subjects were exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke (passive smoking) for one hour in an environmental chamber. All subjects showed the same increase in carboxyhemoglobin as a result of the exposure: 0.40 percent. The asthmatic group demonstrated a significant linear decrease in pulmonary function during this exposure. After one hour of smoke, FEV1 decreased 21.4 percent, FEF25-75% decreased 19.2 percent, and FVC decreased 20.0 percent in the asthmatic patients. These alterations were readily reversible in all subjects when given inhalations of metaproterenol following the exposure. The control subjects showed no change in pulmonary function when exposed to identical conditions. These data show that nonsmokers with bronchial asthma are at risk when exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke in an environmental chamber.

Multicenter study of flunisolide aerosol in adult patients with steroid-dependent asthma.

Seventy-three adult, steroid-dependent asthmatic patients participated in a 16-wk, double-blind study testing the efficacy of flunisolide aerosol. Forty received flunisolide, and 33 received placebo. The mean daily prednisone requirement of patients receiving flunisolide fell 59.2% during the testing period, and that of the patients receiving placebo fell 19.7%. The median daily prednisone dose dropped 74.4% in the flunisolide group and 4.2% in the placebo group (p = 0.006). In the flunisolide group 75% tapered use of oral steroids 50% or more, and 27.5% stopped taking oral steroids completely. In the placebo group 36% tapered use of oral steroids 50% or more, and only 12% stopped taking them completely. Despite their reduction in systemic steroids, those patients receiving flunisolide achieved significantly greater reduction in the daily severity of wheezing (p = 0.014) and frequency of asthma attacks (p = 0.049) than did those receiving placebo. In the final evaluation of therapeutic response, 70% of patients receiving flunisolide were rated as having a very good or good response, and 30% were rated as having a fair or poor response. In contrast 33% of patients receiving placebo were rated as very good or good, and 67% were rated as fair or poor (p = 0.0009). No serious reactions were reported. Plasma cortisols showed an average increase of 42.9% in the flunisolide group but no change in the placebo group. Flunisolide aerosol is a well-tolerated and effective agent in the treatment of steroid-dependent asthma.