The work is devoted to a horizontal tank composed of cylindrical shell closed with ellipsoidal heads and supported at the ends. The tank is loaded with internal or external pressure. For the first load case, a strength condition was formulated, for the other one -the condition of stability of the structure. An optimization model was formulated, in which the mass of the tank subject to the strength and stability conditions was assumed as an objective function. Optimal proportions of geometric dimensions for a family of the tanks of various capacities provided with heads of various convexities were determined. The results were presented in the form of plots. A function was proposed that approximated the solution and could be useful for purposes of designing of the tanks.

The observations on Myzus persicae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae development were carried out on boxthorn (Lycium halimifolium) growing in various places of the city ofWroclaw in 1999-2001. They concerned the following issues: aphid population dynamics and aphid age and morph diversity in population structure. Aphids infested only certain boxthorn bushes and other bushes were free of these insects. M. persicae infested more bushes than M. euphorbiae did. The first species appeared 7-10 days earlier on boxthorn than the second one. Time of the maximum population density of both aphid species was similar. Age structure of M. persicae and M. euphorbiae populations was similar. The youngest larvae (L,-L,) predominated and the least numerous were alatae females. Coccinellids were the most numerous aphid predators on boxthorn.

Potato leaf blight disease caused by Ulocladium atrum (Syn. Stemphylium atrum) is an important and epidemic disease in potato-growing regions of Iran. In this study, 30 isolates of the disease were collected from the main potato-growing regions of Iran and were analyzed on the basis of morphological characterization and pathogenicity. Based on morphological characteristics, all isolates were identified as U. atrum. Pathogenicity studies indicated that all 30 isolates were pathogenic on potato “Agria” to varying degrees. Five U. atrum isolates causing potato leaf blight disease, obtained from the Plant Pathology Laboratory, Isfahan Research Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Isfahan, Iran, were also examined in this study. A total of 35 isolates were genetically analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Cluster analysis using the un-weighted pair group method with the arithmetic average (UPGMA) method for RAPD marker revealed no clear grouping of the isolates obtained from different geographical regions. The groupings, based on morphological characteristics, virulence variability and RAPD analysis, were not correlated. Cluster analysis using Jaccard’s coefficient for ISSR divided the U. atrum isolates into four main groups, in which there was no significant correlation between the isolate groupings regarding their geographic location and pathogenicity. Using molecular techniques genetic variability was detected among the accessions, with cophenetic correlation coefficients (CCC) of 0.80 for RAPDs and 0.89 for ISSRs. The RAPD and ISSR marker results corresponded well, with a correlation of 0.55.