Patulin effects on wheat plants in field treatments

Summary Fall field patulin applications (500 µg/g of soil) to Cheyenne winter wheat seedlings at growth stages 0, 1, and 2, decreased germination, plant growth, winter survival, and tillering. Decreased tillering decreased the number of heads and grain yield. Spring patulin application of 250 and 500 µg/g of soil to wheat at growth stages 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 decreased yields by decreasing the number of heads, kernels per head, and kernel weight. With fall patulin applications, yields were decreased more when patulin was applied near seeding. Spring patulin applications to wheat during sensitive heading stages decreased yield the most.Stages of wheat growth especially susceptible to patulin are the germination, stem-elongation, and flowering, which occur during the fall and spring when soil Penicillium urticae Bainier numbers are maximun and patulin has been extracted from the soil.Contribution from the Soil, Water, and Animal Waste Management Research Unit, North Central Region, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln. Published as Paper No. 4071, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.Microbiologist, USDA, A.R.S. University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Soil Scientist, USDA, A.R.S. Fort Collins, Colorado; and Microbiologist, USDA, A.R.S. University of Nebraska, Lincoln, respectively.     

Penicillium urticae Bainier enumeration in soils

Summary A dilution plating method estimatedPenicillium urticae Bainier numbers in soil. This method, which used an agar layering technique and a cyclic incubation of 8 hours at room temperature (about 25°C) and 16 hours at 5°C, permitted the differential growth and sporulation in favor ofP. urticae B. over other common soil fungi.Procedures of extraction, paper chromatography, infrared analysis, and bioassay assayed for accumulated patulin. A combination of these methods routinely estimatedP. urticae B. numbers in soils and authenticated patulin production by selected isolates.Contribution from the Northern Plains Branch, Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, in cooperation with the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln. Published as Paper No. 2275, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.Soil Scientist, USDA, Grand Junction, Colorado (formerly Chemist, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska); and Microbiologist, USDA, Lincoln, Nebraska, respectively.     

The allelopathic potential of alfalfa root medicagenic acid glycosides and their fate in soil environments

Summary The allelopathic effect of alfalfa (Medicago media Pers.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) root saponins on winter wheat seedling growth and the fate of these chemicals in soil environments were studied. Seed germination, seedling and test fungus growth were suppressed by water and by alcohol extracts of alfalfa roots, and by crude saponins of alfalfa roots, indicating that medicagenic acid glycosides are the inhibitor. Powdered alfalfa roots inhibited wheat seedling growth when added to sand. At concentrations as low as 0.25% (w/w) the root system was completely destroyed whereas seedling shoots suffered little damage. Red clover roots caused some wheat growth inhibition when incorporated to sand, but their effect was much lower than in the alfalfa root treatment. Soil textures had a significant influence on the inhibitory effect of alfalfa roots. The inhibition of seedling growth was more pronounced on light than on heavy soils. This was attribted to the higher sorption of inhibitors by heavy soils. Incubation of alfalfa roots mixed into loose sand, coarse sand, loamy sand and clay loam for a period of 0–8 days resulted in decreased toxicity to bothT. viride and wheat seedlings. This decrease occurred more quickly in heavier soils than in loose sand, due to the hydrolysis of glycosides by soil microorganisms. Soil microbes were capable of detoxifying medicagenic acid glycosides by partial hydrolysis of sugar chain to aglycone. These findings illustrate the importance of medicagenic acid glycosides as an inhibitor of wheat seedling growth, and of their fate in different soil environments.     

Effects of nodulation on resistance to alfalfa sickness among ten alfalfa cultivars

Summary Ten alfalfa cultivars were used to study the effects of nodulation and variations in resistance to alfalfa sickness. The alfalfa seedlings were planted in sick soil with three treatment,,i.e.: pasteurized sick soil inoculated with Rhizobium ‘Nitragin’ which served as the control, the inoculated non-pasteurized sick soil and the non-inoculated non-pasteurized sick soil. None of the alfalfa cultivars were immune from the sickness. Cultivar ‘Anik’ fromMedicago falcata was among the most resistant cultivars. Three Phytophthora root rot resistant cultivars including ‘Agate’, ‘Apollo’ and ‘Ramsey’ were not resistant to the disease. Alfalfa inoculated with Rhizobium showed greatly improved seedling growth. Correlation coefficients showed that those alfalfa cultivars more resistant to alfalfa sickness produced more dry weight. Dry weight increase due to nodulation (82%) had more than compensated for the loss of dry weight due to alfalfa sickness (33%). The present study suggested that the poor growth of alfalfa on sick soil was attributed to both the soil borne pathogens and the poor nodulation of alfalfa, probably due to the absence of effective Rhizobium in sick soil. Highly significant differences were also obtained among olfalfa cultivars for plant dry weight in the inoculation treatment. Selection for effective Rhizobium strains and for alfalfa genotypes which are resistant to alfalfa sickness and are high in nitrogen fixation rates could improve alfalfa yield in sick soil.     

Copper as essential to wheat reproduction

Summary The role of Cu in promoting the reproductive phase of growth was examined using Thatcher spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Plants were grown in limed Bladen soil (pH 5.3) in a controlled growth room. The plants were first harvested when five leaves had developed (day 23) and some top leaves of Cu-deficient (-Cu) plants had rolled (withertip) indicating a Cu deficiency. The leaves were shorter on Cu than Cu-sufficient (+Cu) plants, and fewer leaves developed. As they entered the reproductive growth phase, +Cu plants accumulated reducing sugars and reduced 2, 3, 5- triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) in their stems, while Cu plants had lower concentration of the reducing sugars and very little TTC was reduced indicating a reduction in energy and in reducing capacity. Thin-layer-chromatography showed that top leaves of Cu plants contained higher concentrations of aspartic acid, alanine, and serine; and less aminobutyric acid than +Cu plants. Nitrate, P, and K concentrations were higher, and Ca and Cu were lower in Cu than in +Cu plants.Contribution of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Plant Stress Laboratory, Northeast Region, Beltsville, MD 20705 and North Central Region, Department of Agronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583 as Paper No.5187, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.Contribution of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Plant Stress Laboratory, Northeast Region, Beltsville, MD 20705 and North Central Region, Department of Agronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583 as Paper No.5187, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Effect of sorghum seedlings, and previous crop, on soil fluorescent Pseudomonas spp.

Hypotheses in which sorghum seedlings [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] of different genotypes will differentially modify soil microorganisms and will affect subsequent planting of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedlings, were tested. Wheat cultivar Lewjain, and sorghum genotypes Redlan and RTx433, were planted into soils previously planted with wheat or sorghum in growth chamber experiments. Total culturable fungi and oomycetes, and fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. numbers (cfu) were determined. Pseudomonads were screened for hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production, for the presence of the phlD gene for 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol production (Phl) and for a region of the operon involved in phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) production. Pasteurized soils were inoculated with rifampicin-marked strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens then planted with Lewjain, Redlan and RTx433 to assess rhizosphere and soil colonization. Effects of plant species, sorghum genotype and previous crop on culturable fungi and oomycetes, and pseudomonad numbers (cfu g^?1 soil) were statistically significant. Soils planted with RTx433 or Lewjain had greater numbers of fungal cfu than soils planted with Redlan. When Lewjain seedlings were grown in soil previously planted with RTx433, there were greater numbers of fungal cfu than when Lewjain was planted into Redlan soil. Wheat planted into wheat soil resulted in statistically significantly fewer numbers of pseudomonads than when planted into sorghum soil. Overall, percentages of HCN-producing pseudomonads increased, especially when wheat seedlings were planted in wheat soil. For most treatments, percent of isolates with Phl declined, except when Redlan was planted into Redlan soil, which resulted in increased Phl isolates. When rifampicin-marked P. fluorescens isolates were applied to pasteurized soil, sorghum seedlings sustained rhizosphere and soil populations similar to those on wheat. Sorghum genotypes may differ in associations with soil microorganisms, suggesting that they may differentially affect numbers of fluorescent pseudomonads in cropping systems.     

Soil temperatures and inoculation techniques affect emergence and reisolation of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum from soybean

Emergence of Amsoy soybean (Glycine max) seed inoculated withSclerotinia sclerotiorum was significantly reduced below noninoculated seed at soil temperatures of 25°, 30°, and 35 °C, but not at 20 °C.S. sclerotiorum was readily reisolated from wound-inoculated stems of seedlings and nearly mature plants above the point of inoculation and below to the crown area, but not from roots. The fungus was recovered from stems but not roots of 15-day seedlings grown in sterile soil before infestation of the soil surface with a suspension of mycelium and sclerotia and assayed at 15 days after soil infestation. When compared to healthy, seeds, infected seeds withS. sclerotiorum were characterized by appearing flattened.Supported in part by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station; Regional Project S-72; and U.S. Agency for International Development, grant csd-1922.     

Soil temperatures and inoculation techniques affect emergence and reisolation of sclerotinia Sclerotiorum from soybean

Emergence of Amsoy soybean (Glycine max) seed inoculated withSclerotinia sclerotiorum was significantly reduced below noninoculated seed at soil temperatures of 25, 30 and 35 °C, but not at 20 °C.S. sclerotiorum was readily·reisolated from wound-inoculated stems of seedlings and nearly mature plants above the point of inoculation below to the crown area, but not from roots. The fungus was recovered from stems but not roots of seedlings grown in sterile soil for 15 days before infestation of the soil surface with a suspension of mycelium and sclerotia and assayed at 15 days after soil infestation. When compared to healthy, seed infected withS. sclerotiorum were characterized by appearing flattened.Supported in part by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station; Regional Project S-72; and U.S. Agency for International Development, grant csd-1922.     

Nitrogen source effects on rhizosphere pH and nutrient accumulation by Pacific Northwest conifers

Growth responses ofCasuarina cunninghamiana to inoculation withFrankia are described in unsterilized field soils at three sites. At Mt Crawford, South Australia, seedlings of three provenances ofC. cunninghamiana were inoculated with a singleFrankia source just prior to planting out. Forty-four months after planting, inoculation had more than doubled wood production by twoC. cunninghamiana provenances, whilst a third provenance grew poorly and did not respond to inoculation. In Zimbabwe, seedlings of one provenance ofC. cunninghamiana were inoculated in the nursery with one of four differentFrankia strains. In an N deficient soil at Kadoma, three of theseFrankia increased tree height 14 months after planting by between 50% and 70% in comparison to the uninoculated seedlings. The fourthFrankia strain resulted in increased tree height to three times that of the uninoculated controls and up to double that of the other threeFrankia strains. At Gympie, Queensland, Australia, seedlings ofC. cunninghamiana raised open-rooted in a nursery bed were inoculated withFrankia seventeen weeks before planting out. During the 22 months following planting in the field, tree growth was limited by soil P status and there was no response in tree height or stem diameter to inoculation withFrankia or to N fertilizer unless P was applied. In the presence of added P there was a significant response both toFrankia inoculation and to N fertilizer. This positive interaction between P application and N treatment was reflected in wood volumes-inoculated trees and those trees supplied N fertilizer produced 34% and 95% more wood volume than did the uninoculated trees. These results demonstrate the potential to increase the productivity of Casuarina plantings by inoculation withFrankia and by alleviation of P deficiency.     

Relationships between macro- and micronutrient nutrition of slash pine on three coastal plain soils

Summary Slash pine seedlings on Bladen, Leon, and Lakeland soils responded differently to P and N fertilization. Seedling growth was increased by all treatments on Bladen soil, whereas responses by seedlings on the other soils were nil. All soils were low in extractable P with both Bladen and Lakeland yielding 0.85 ppm P. Growth response to fertilizer was positive on Bladen soil because soil and tissue levels of P were raised above “critical” levels and other nutrients were present in adequate quantities. Tissue analyses indicated, and subsequent experiments utilizing macro- and micronutrients proved, that excess P applications reduced certain micronutrients to growth-limiting levels on both Leon and Lakeland soils. Best growth on Leon soil occurred when P and N were supplemented with Cu. On the Lakeland soil macronutrients supplemented with Cu, Mn, or Zn produced greatest growth. Toxicity levels of five micronutrients on the latter soil also were determined. Journal Series No. 3506, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, Gainesville. Research supported by Cooperative Research in Forest Fertilization program.     

Effects of crop residues,soil type and temperature on emergence and early growth of wheat

Summary Two controlled environment experiments were conducted to examine the germination and early growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Songlen) growing under crop residues of rape, sorghum, field pea and wheat. Additional treamments also included were soil type (Lithic Vertic Ustochrept and Plinthustalf) and temperature (8°C and 24°C to simulate winter and autumn sowing conditions). At low temperature, wheat and sorghum residues produced the most adverse effects on germination with all residues reducing emergence at high temperatures. Shoot lengths were also reduced by most residues at high temperatures whilst root lengths and shoot and root dry weights were unaffected by residue treatments. These results suggest major phytotoxic effects of residues during early growth (up to 14 days after sowing) with, in general, few interactions with soil type or temperature.     

Inter-root movement of Azospirillum brasilense and subsequent root colonization of crop and weed seedlings growing in soil

Inter-root movement and dispersion of the beneficial bacterium Azospirillum brasilense were monitored in root systems of wheat seedlings growing in the field and in growth chamber soil trays. Two strains were used, a motile wild-type strain (Cd, mot⁺) and a motility deficient strain (mot^–), which was derived from the Cd strain. Root colonization by two wild-type strains (Cd and Sp-245) was studied in 64 plant species growing in pots in the greenhouse. The two wild-type strains of A. brasilense were capable of colonizing all tested plant species. In soil trays and in the field, mot⁺ cells moved from inoculated roots to non-inoculated roots of either wheat plants or weeds growing in the same field plot, but the mot^– strain did not move toward non-inoculated roots of either plant species. In the field, both mot⁺ and mot^– strains of A. brasilense survived well in the rhizosphere of wheat for 30 days, but only mot⁺ moved between different weeds, regardless of the species, botanical family, or whether they were annuals or perennials. In plant-free, water-saturated soils, either in columns or in the field, both strains remained at the inoculation site and did not move.It is proposed (a) that A. brasilense is not a plant-specific bacterium and that (b) colonization of the entire root system in soil is an active process determined by bacterial motility; it is not plant specific, but depends on the presence of plants. Correspondence to: Y. Bashan     

Rapid bioassay of aluminum toxicity in soil

Fifty-five acid soil horizons from 19 profiles were evaluated for aluminum toxicity using root elongation as a criterion in a two-day petri dish bioassay. The method proved to be simple, efficient, and precise enough to clearly distinguish aluminum toxicity differences among horizons within and between profiles. Although toxicity patterns within profiles differed, it was common for surface horizons to be less toxic even when very acid. The R² for correlations of relative root lengths with pH in H₂O, pH in KCl, soluble and exchangeable aluminum and percent aluminum saturation were only 0.42, 0.45, 0.52, 0.66, and 0.54, respectively, which indicates the need for a bioassay. In a further use of the method, and to demonstrate its efficiency, 243 horizons from 26 profiles were screened. Approximately half of the horizons with a pH of 5.0 or below showed Al toxicity. When used by different operators, with a variety of soil and treatment parameter changes, the two-day bioassay in petri dishes gave consistent rankings of soils by degree of aluminum toxicity. Journal Paper 11690, Purdue University, Agricultural Experiment Station, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Contribution from the Agronomy Department.     

Phyto-Extraction of Nickel by Linum usitatissimum in Association with Glomus intraradices

Plants show enhanced phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils particularly in response to fungal inoculation. Present study was conducted to find out the influence of Nickel (Ni) toxicity on plant biomass, growth, chlorophyll content, proline production and metal accumulation by L. usitatissimum (flax) in the presence of Glomus intraradices. Flax seedlings of both inoculated with G. intraradices and non-inoculated were exposed to different concentrations i.e., 250, 350 and 500 ppm of Ni at different time intervals. Analysis of physiological parameters revealed that Ni depressed the growth and photosynthetic activity of plants. However, the inoculation of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizae (G. intraradices) partially helped in the alleviation of Ni toxicity as indicated by improved plant growth under Ni stress. Ni uptake of non- mycorrhizal flax plants was increased by 98% as compared to control conditions whereas inoculated plants showed 19% more uptake when compared with the non-inoculated plants. Mycorrhizal plants exhibited increasing capacity to remediate contaminated soils along with improved growth. Thus, AM assisted phytoremediation helps in the accumulation of Ni in plants to reclaim Ni toxic soils. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that the role of flax plants and mycorrhizal fungi is extremely important in phytoremediation.     

Effects of some organophosphate and carbamate insecticides on nitrification and legume growth

Summary Nine insecticides (six organophosphates and three carbamates) were tested for their effects on soil nitrification, growth of legume seedlings, and growth of four species of rhizobia bacteria. No inhibition of nitrification was found at normal field rates (5 ppm) of application. Some instances of inhibition were observed at 50 ppm and at 500 ppm. Similarly, 5 ppm applications did not inhibit growth of alfalfa or sweetclover seedlings ... with one exception. Disc inhibition tests of the rhizobia bacteria showed thatRhizobium leguminosarum andRhizobium trifolii were most sensitive to the pesticides.Rhizobium meliloti, and particularlyRhizobium japonicum, were resistant to the insecticides. No consistent correlation was observed between tests on the nodulating bacteria and the tests on legume growth.Published with the approval of the Director of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station as Journal Article No.309. Portion of a thesis presented by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.S. degree in bacteriology at North Dakota State University.     

Differential response in growth and mycorrhizal colonisation of soybean to inoculation with two isolates ofGlomus clarum in soils of different P availability

Soybean (Glycine max cv. Mikiwashima) seedlings were inoculated with two tropical isolates of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungusGlomus clarum (Gc); isolateGcA was isolated from soils of low phosphate (P) and isolateGcB from soils of high P availability. In soil with low P,GcA was more efficient in increasing growth, nodulation and nitrogenase activity ofG. max thanGcB. Upon contact with the root surface, pre-infection hyphae ofGcA penetrated the root directly and rapidly colonised the cortical cells, while those ofGcB grew extensively on theroot surface with little host penetration. Mycorrhizal colonisation was higher in roots inoculated withGcA. Dual inoculation with the two isolates did not increase the effect of the single inoculation withGcA. In soils of high P status, both isolates formed pre-infection hyphae with few entry ooints and percentage mycorrhizal root colonisation was consequently low. The variation in efficacy of the isolates emphasizes the significance of evaluating host specificity when selecting efficient VA mycorrhizae strains for field studies.     

Rapid evaluation of sorghum for aluminum tolerance

Two screening methods tested in this study were based on the observation that roots of freshly germinated seeds exhibit their relative tolerance to Al during the first 48 hours of growth. Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) varieties were evaluated using toxic/nontoxic soil pairs in petri dishes and toxic/nontoxic solution pairs in a flowing aqueous system. The soils had 0, 61, and 72% Al saturation and the solutions had 0, 1.85 and 3.70 M l^–1 Al from AlCl₃ and 0.25 mM l^–1 Ca from Ca(NO₃)₂. Relative root lengths in both systems correctly differentiated 13 genotypes of known Al tolerance into tolerant and intolerant groups. Twenty six other sorghums genotypes were also screened using genotypes of known Al reactions as checks. The soil with 72% Al saturation and the 1.85 M l^–1 Al solution gave the highest correlation between the two systems and both effectively arrayed sorghums of known and unknown tolerance. For routine screening the authors prefer the soil system for its simplicity, efficiency, and use of a natural growth medium.Journal paper 11637. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station, Lafayette, Indiana. Contribution from the Agronomy Department.     

The productivity of pine plantations in relation to previous land use

Summary Differences in the productivity of establishedP. radiata plantations on pasture and forest soils were found to be reproducible withP. radiata seedlings in a glasshouse environment. The growth of seedlings on pasture soil exceeded that of seedlings on native forest soil (the ‘primary pasture effect’). After a history of pine on both native and pasture soils a residual effect of pasture on seedling growth was evident (the ‘secondary pasture effect’). However, the effect of a history of pine plantation (the ‘pine effect’) was to decrease the productivity of both native and pasture soil as assessed by seedling growth. These effects were not related to changes due to land management in mycorrhizal infection or in soil structure. The analysis of seedling growth leads to the conclusion that soil fertility, particularly the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus, has changed.     

Soil and root populations of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. associated with seedlings and field-grown plants are affected by sorghum genotype

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is valued for bioenergy, feed and food. Potential of sorghum genotypes to support differing populations of root- and soil-associated fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. or Fusarium spp., in two soils, was assessed. Culturable pseudomonads were enumerated from roots and soil of sorghum (Redlan and RTx433) and wheat (Lewjain) seedlings repeatedly grown in cycled soils in the growth chamber. Pseudomonads and Fusarium spp. were assessed from roots and soil of field-grown sorghum along with biological control traits hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and 2,4-diacetylphlorogluconol (phl) production. After four 4-week cycles, soil associated with Redlan seedlings had greater numbers of fluorescent pseudomonads than Lewjain. In dryland field conditions, RTx433 roots had greater numbers of pseudomonads than Redlan before anthesis but similar numbers after. There were no differences in numbers of pseudomonads from dryland soil or roots or soil of irrigated plants. Percentages of HCN-producing root isolates and phl soil isolates declined on irrigated Redlan plants, but percentages of HCN-producers increased in dryland conditions. Redlan roots had greater percentages of Fusarium isolates in the Gibberella fujikuroi complex. Results indicated that sorghum genotype affected root-associated populations of fluorescent Pseudomonas spp. and Fusarium spp. across soil environments.     

Growth and patulin formation byPenicillium urticae Bainier in pure and mixed cultures

Penicillium urticae Bainier synthesized patulin in potato-dextrose medium at temperatures ranging from 5 to 30°C. Maximum patulin yield was 2700 μg/ml of culture fluid in 14 days at 25°C. Two distinctive intervals affected patulin formation: 15 to 20°C and 30 to 35°C, the former favorable and the latter detrimental. An incubation period of 11 to 14 days made a nonsterile mixture of weathered wheat straw and soil a favorable medium for patulin formation. Autoclaved weathered wheat straw, inoculated withP. urticae alone, or in combination withTrichoderma sp., was a medium comparable to nonsterile, incubated weathered wheat straw in soil. Both carbon source and accessory growth factors were important for patulin formation. Of seven media tested, potato-dextrose was superior to potatodextrose supplemented with 70 ppm Zn-ions and 16 ppm Fe-ions, potatosucrose, Raulin-Thom, autoclaved weathered wheat straw in pure culture, weathered wheat straw in nonsterile soil, and autoclaved weathered wheat straw in mixed culture, in that order. Patulin production ranged from 337.5 to 0.2 mg/g of C in the medium. Contribution from the Northern Plains Branch, Soil and Water Conservation Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station, Lincoln. Published as Paper No.2621, Journal Series, Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station.