Characterizing the Interaction between Root-knot Nematodes and Soil-borne Fungi which are Pathogenic to Passion Fruit (Passiflora Edulis)

For decades there have been anecdotal claims of synergistic interactions between plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi causing decline of productivity of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) orchards. An empirical confirmation of these disease complexes would impact disease management and plant breeding for resistance. To test those claims, we subjected passion fruit plants to single or concomitant parasitism by Meloidogyne javanica or M. incognita and Fusarium nirenbergiae or Neocosmospora sp. under controlled conditions. Non-inoculated plants served as control for the assays. The severity of shoot symptoms and variables related to plant growth, the extent of fungal lesions, and nematode reproduction were assessed to characterize the interactions. The shoot symptoms and effect on plant growth induced by the pathogens varied, but no synergy between the pathogens was observed. Moreover, the volume of tissue lesioned by the fungi was not affected by co-parasitism of the nematodes. Conversely, plant resistance to the nematodes was not affected by co-parasitism of the fungi. The interactions M. incognita-F. nirenbergiae, M. incognita-Neocosmospora sp., M. javanica-F. nirenbergiae, and M. javanica-Neocosmospora sp. were not synergistic as previously claimed, but instead neutral.     

Planting Design Effects on Avian Seed Dispersers in a Tropical Forest Restoration Experiment

Seed dispersal often limits tropical forest regeneration and animals disperse most rainforest tree seeds. This presents two important questions for restoration ecologists: (1) which animals are common seed dispersers? and (2) which restoration techniques attract them? Fourteen restoration sites were planted with four tree species in three designs, (1) controls (no planting, natural regeneration) (2) islands (trees planted in small patches), and (3) plantations (trees planted continuously over a large patch). We sampled birds in November, February, and April 2007–2008 with mist nets, in February and July 2009 with observations, and in July 2008 with both techniques. We documented 30 seed species from fecal samples of captured birds. All identified seed species were early‐successional forms. Four tanager species, three thrushes, two saltators, two flycatchers, and one finch were categorized as common seed dispersers, based on their high likelihood of dispersing seeds. Common dispersers were generalist species with small gape widths (<15 mm). Common dispersers were captured significantly more often in plantations than controls in most seasons and more often in plantations than islands during one season. Common disperser observations were significantly greater in plantations than controls during two periods and in plantations compared with islands in one period. Results indicate that plantation‐style planting is the conservative strategy to maximize attractiveness to common dispersers in tropical restoration sites. Island planting is an alternative when resources are limited although disperser activity may be lower in some seasons than in plantations. Additional research should investigate how to attract large, forest‐associated dispersers.     

Phenoloxidase (E.C. 1.14.18.1) from the byssus gland of Mytilus edulis: Purification,partial characterization and application for screening products with potential antifouling activities

Although a total ban on the use of TBT coatings is not expected in the short term, there is a growing need for environmentally safe antifouling systems. To assist in the rapid screening of a large number of potential antifouling substances, a method that is simple, efficient and inexpensive is required. The production of byssus threads by the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, has often been studied for testing the antifouling efficacy of various compounds. The present study reports a new antifouling assay based on the inhibition of purified M. edulis phenoloxidase activity. The method has the advantage of being specific, reliable, sensitive and rapid.     

Salak Plum Peel Extract as a Safe and Efficient Antioxidant Appraisal for Cosmetics

We searched in this study for novel agonists of transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily V, member 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential cation channel, subfamily A, member 1 (TRPA1) in pepper, focusing attention on 19 compounds contained in black pepper. Almost all the compounds in HEK cells heterogeneously expressed TRPV1 or TRPA1, increased the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) in a concentration-dependent manner. Among these, piperine, isopiperine, isochavicine, piperanine, pipernonaline, dehydropipernonaline, retrofractamide C, piperolein A, and piperolein B relatively strongly activated TRPV1. The EC₅₀ values of these compounds for TRPV1 were 0.6–128 μM. Piperine, isopiperine, isochavicine, piperanine, piperolein A, piperolein B, and N-isobutyl-(2E,4E)-tetradeca-2,4-diamide also relatively strongly activated TRPA1, the EC₅₀ values of these compounds for TRPA1 were 7.8–148 μM. The Ca²⁺ responses of these compounds for TRPV1 and TRPA1 were significantly suppressed by co-applying each antagonist. We identified in this study new transient receptor potential (TRP) agonists present in black pepper and found that piperine, isopiperine, isochavicine, piperanine, piperolein A, and piperolein B activated both TRPV1 and TRPA1.     

毛竹7个新近发表种下类型的AFLP分析

为了解毛竹(Phyllostachys edulis)种下类型的遗传关系,对花龟竹(P.edulis‘Mira’)、斑毛竹(‘Porphyrosticta’)、安吉锦毛竹(‘Anjiensis’)、麻衣竹(‘Exaurita’)、黄皮毛竹(‘Holochrysa’)、绿槽龟甲竹(‘Lücaoguijiazhu’)、孝丰紫筋毛竹(‘Purpureosulcata’)等7个新近发表的种下类型进行了AFLP分子标记分析。结果表明,采用筛选的8对引物组合共扩增了1728条条带,多态性条带百分率达98.77%,检测到多态性位点881个。Nei’s遗传多样性指数(H)为0.2736,Shannon信息指数(I)为0.4291。这丰富了毛竹所有23个种下类型的分子亲缘关系研究数据。     

石灰岩山地优势种淡竹生物量分配的影响主因研究

该研究在江西省瑞昌市设置9个淡竹林样地,调查和测定了淡竹林密度、淡竹各构件的生物量和总生物量,以及土壤含水率、土层厚度、林下裸岩率、pH、电导率、全氮和全磷等7个土壤环境因子,并对竹林密度、土壤环境因子和淡竹生物量分配指标进行了相关分析和回归分析。结果表明：(1)密度与淡竹蔸比重相关系数r达0.66( P＝0.02<0.05),而与叶比重、枝比重、秆比重、鞭比重、根比重及根冠比均无显著相关关系;土壤环境因子与生物量分配指标有密切相关,环境主成分Z1与叶比重、秆比重及蔸比重均显著相关(P<0.05),Z2与鞭比重显著相关(P＝0.034<0.05)。(2)密度与土壤环境因子密切相关(P<0.05),控制土壤环境因子的偏相关分析显示密度与淡竹生物量分配不显著相关( P>0.05),而控制密度时,土壤环境因子与淡竹生物量分配仍有显著相关关系(P<0.05);逐步回归分析也验证了偏相关分析的结果,密度被排除出回归方程。分析认为,土壤含水率、土层厚度及土壤养分等环境因子是影响石灰岩山地优势种淡竹生物量分配的主因,密度对生物量分配的影响实为土壤环境因子的间接作用。该研究结果为石灰岩地区植被恢复提供了理论支撑。     

厚壁毛竹光合作用对CO_2浓度倍增的短期响应

采用Li-6400P光合测定仪对比测定了大气CO2浓度和短期CO2浓度倍增下不同季节厚壁毛竹的光合特性,结果表明:CO2浓度加倍促使最大净光合速率、净光合速率、水分利用率、光合量子效率和光饱和点升高,年平均增幅分别为62.79%、48.74%、94.41%、8.70%和16.67%;CO2浓度加倍促使蒸腾速率、暗呼吸速率和光补偿点下降,年平均降幅分别为17.60%、37.25%和40.50%。不同季节厚壁毛竹光合生理特性参数在CO2浓度加倍后的增加幅度或降低幅度与叶片生理活性和气候变化密切相关。CO2浓度的倍增并未明显改变厚壁毛竹光合特性的季节变化规律,除光补偿点外,其它光合参数的季节大小顺序仍与大气CO2浓度下的相同。厚壁毛竹光合作用对短期CO2浓度升高的响应特征与C3植物光合作用对短期CO2浓度升高响应的普遍规律相符。     

Effects of neighborhood on pollination and seed dispersal of a threatened palm

Changes in the spatial density and availability of resources offered by plants due to habitat fragmentation and overexploitation of the natural environment are likely to affect mutualistic interactions. We tested whether changes in the density of neighborhood conspecific and heterospecific plants and in the availability of resources influence the frequency and composition of floral and frugivorous visitors of eleven individuals of the same population of the threatened palm Euterpe edulis in Brazil. The frequency of floral visitors was positively associated with conspecific density and availability of resources. Species composition was affected by the availability of resources since some bee species were associated with palms that offered more flowers, whereas others were associated with palms that offered less. Two bee species may be able to mediate long-distance pollen-flow for E. edulis: an undetermined species of Euglossini and Apis mellifera. Frugivorous birds were not influenced by any of the factors investigated. Birds of the genus Turdus predominated in the assemblage and were responsible for most of the interactions. This is probably due to the fact that, unlike larger birds, species of Turdus are considered resilient to environmental disturbances. Due to the continuous defaunation and fragmentation of the Atlantic Forest, the number of large birds that can promote long-distance seed dispersal is declining, with implications for the genetic diversity of E. edulis. Measures to restore the population density of E. edulis will likely favor the recovery of its genetic diversity due to its high capacity for distant pollen dispersal. Recovering and protecting large frugivorous birds may also contribute to the maintenance of the population density and genetic diversity of E. edulis.