Yeasts are distributed in all environments and have been reported as potential biocontrol agents against various phytopathogenic fungi. To investigate their enzymatic and biological activities, 32 yeasts were isolated from 15 date vinegar samples. Evaluation of the antagonistic activities of isolated yeasts against the plant pathogens Fusarium oxysporium, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Macrophomina phaseolina indicated that there are two yeasts had the highest inhibitory effect against plant pathogens, these yeasts identified as Kluyveromyces marxianus and Torulaspora delbrueckii using traditional and molecular methods. These yeast isolates were tested for fungal cell wall degrading enzymes (in vitro), and results indicated that the yeasts had strong protease and amylase enzyme activity and moderate chitinase and cellulase enzyme activity. The antagonistic activities of each yeast were evaluated using a dual culture technique. The results showed that K. marxianus inhibited the mycelial growth of F. oxysporium, S. sclerotiorum, and M. phaseolina by 70.5, 57.5, and 75.5%, respectively, whereas T. delbrueckii inhibited mycelial growth of F. oxysporum, S. sclerotiorum, and M. phaseolina by 55.3%, 66.2%, and 31.11%, respectively. The biofilm production assay indicated that the tested yeast could form biofilms as a mechanism of antagonistic activity against phytopathogenic fungi.

Fifty locally laying hen’s eggs random samples were collected from different markets of Baghdad city in order to investigate the presence of Salmonellae Spp. in shell of those eggs. The samples were collected during the period from March 2012 to May 2012.The samples were directly transferred to the Food hygiene laboratory and analyzed immediately without further storage.The isolation and identification methods include: (pre-enrichment) culture stage by peptone water then, (Selective enrichment) culture stage by selenite broth after that culturing on sold (Selective media) which was Bismuth Sulphate agar. The biotyping by using API strip according to the API 20E miniaturized identification system for Salmonella SPP.. The isolated Salmonella strains were transferred on TSI agar to undergone sereotyping at the Institute of Public Health,Baghdad,Iraq. Data revealed that 15 out of the total 50 (30%) of the eggs samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp. Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis were the two serotypes that have been found in this study. Nine from 15 (60%) of the isolates was belong to Salmonella enteritidis serotypes while 6 from 15 (40%) of the isolates was belong to Salmonella typhimuriumserotype.