Distribution of alcohol dehydrogenase in roots and shoots of rice (Oryza sativa) and Echinochloa seedlings

Abstract Aerobically germinated seedlings of rice and Echinochloa were found to survive when placed in an anaerobic environment for 4 d, whereas pea and maize seedlings did not. Although root and shoot growth were inhibited in rice and Echinochloa under anaerobiosis, growth resumed when the seedlings were returned to aerobic conditions. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity increased more, and protein synthesis was greater, in the shoots than in the roots under anaerobic conditions. These results suggest that, in anaerobiosis-tolerant species, ADH activity and protein synthesis in the shoots represents or results from metabolic adaptations to low oxygen. These results are discussed in terms of plant establishment and growth in a low-oxygen environment.     

二氯喹啉酸对稗草生长发育及生长素含量的影响

通过外施二氯喹啉酸、生长素处理,研究二氯喹啉酸对稗草Echinochloa crusgalli生长特性、蛋白浓度、过氧化物酶及超氧化物歧化酶活性、生长素含量的影响。结果表明,800 g·hm-2二氯喹啉酸处理24 h未对S型稗草的生长产生明显抑制,而二氯喹啉酸单独处理及外施IAA的二氯喹啉酸处理均能显著增加R型稗草鲜重。在不施药、二氯喹啉酸单独处理、二氯喹啉酸与IAA共同处理的条件下,R型稗草比S型稗草的蛋白浓度分别提高23.5%、29.8%和64.0%,R型稗草表现出较高的抗逆境耐受能力。经二氯喹啉酸处理后,两种生物型稗草SOD活性上升,POD活性下降。施外源IAA能提高S型稗草POD活性,而对R型稗草SOD、POD活性影响不显著。提高生长素含量可显著促进R型稗草的生长。     

稗草主要生物学特性及其防除

本文概述了稗草(Echinochlon spp．)的生物学特性及其防除效果。试验证明稗草萌发的最低温度为12℃,稗草种子在充足的水分条件下,当有效积温达33.8—49.5℃(生物零度为10℃)时,出现田间稗草的发生高峰期。提出消除稗草要从秧田入手,并应掌握在稗草3叶期以前、化学防除应以药效期相吻合,才能达到预期的效果。通过试验对9种除草剂进行了综合评价,实践证明化学防除配套技术和农业措施协调应相结合,能有效地控制稻田稗草的危害。     

Differences between the effects of partial and whole plant chilling on carbon translocation of a C4 grass

Abstract Experiments were conducted with Echinochloa crus-galli to partition the effects of chilling the leaf vs. chilling the whole plant on subsequent ¹¹C translocation. The results clearly demonstrated that whole plant chilling was very detrimental whereas chilling only the leaf had no effect on subsequent translocation nor on ¹¹C uptake. The inhibition of translocation was due to a reduced rate and percentage of export while ¹¹C fixation rate was not significantly altered. When the leaf of a chilled plant was maintained at 22 °C, there was no impairment of the transport system nor of photosynthesis. The decrease in export with whole plant chilling may have been due to carbon movement into storage carbohydrates, resulting in a low sucrose gradient.     

New Technology for Estimating Seed Production of Moist-Soil Plants

ABSTRACT Waterfowl biologists estimate seed production in moist-soil wetlands to calculate duck-energy days (DEDs) and evaluate management techniques. Previously developed models that predict plant seed yield using morphological measurements are tedious and time consuming. We developed simple linear regression models that indirectly and directly related seed-head area to seed production for 7 common moist-soil plants using portable and desktop scanners and a dot grid, and compared time spent processing samples and predictive ability among models. To construct models, we randomly collected approximately 60 plants/species at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge, USA, during September 2005 and 2006, threshed and dried seed from seed heads, and related dry mass to seed-head area. All models explained substantial variation in seed mass (R²< 0.87) and had high predictive ability (R²_predicted < 0.84). Processing time of seed heads averaged 22 and 3 times longer for the dot grid and portable scanner, respectively, than for the desktop scanner. We recommend use of desktop scanners for accurate and rapid estimation of moist-soil plant seed production. Seed predictions per plant from our models can be used to estimate total seed production and DEDs in moist-soil wetlands.     

Characterization of Cadmium-Binding Ligands from Roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinochloa crusgalli</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">frumentacea</Emphasis>

Herbaceous Echinochloa crusgalli var. frumentacea is highly resistant to a wide range of heavy metal concentrations. However, its detoxification mechanism has not been reported yet. We exposed plants to 100 μM CdCl₂ for 7 days then examined cadmium accumulation and its subcellular distribution in binding to ligands. Cd concentration increased over the exposure period to a saturation point at day 5 when its level reached 1,732.41 μg g⁻¹ dry weight, an amount about 820 times greater than that found in the control. In the roots, most Cd was distributed in the insoluble fraction, perhaps because of an absorption mechanism at the root surface. Our profile for distribution revealed two Cd-binding ligand peaks: a high molecular weight of 60 kDa and a 2.5-kDa Cd-binding ligand. The latter increased with time and had a typical phytochelatin (PC) amino acid composition of predominantly cysteine, glutamate, and glycine (16.5%, 16.6%, and 11.9%, respectively). The ratio of glutamate/cysteine/glycine was 1.4:1.4:1.0, which is similar to that for other typical PCs.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum echinochloae</Emphasis>, a new species on Japanese barnyard millet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Echinochloa utilis</Emphasis>)

Five isolates of a species of Colletotrichum were collected from Japanese barnyard millet (Echinochloa utilis) in Japan. Although the fungus had once been identi-fied as C. graminicola sensu lato, it was clearly different from C. graminicola isolated from maize (Zea mays) in its falcate and short conidia, 18.0–22.2 μm in length, cultural characteristics, and specific pathogenicity to E. utilis. Moreover, molecular phylogenetic analyses using sequences of rDNA-ITS, HMG, and SOD2 indicated a monophyly of the isolates. A new species, Colletotrichum echinochloae, is then proposed based on the morphological, pathological, and molecular characteristics.     

Quantitative analysis of phenolics in selected crop species and biological activity of these compounds evaluated by sensitivity of Echinochloa crus-galli

The purpose of this study was to determine the content of selected phenolic compounds in white mustard, buckwheat, spring barley, oat and rye grown under field conditions. Moreover, the allelopathic efficiency of these compounds was evaluated by sensitivity of Echinochloa crus-galli. The aromatic acids: trans-cinnamic, salicylic, ferulic, chlorogenic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, p-coumaric and vanillic were separated from crop plants by TLC and determined spectrophotometrically. Differences in concentrations of analysed compounds were observed for most of the examined plant species. The highest concentration was noticed for cinnamic acid and ranged from 360 μg·g⁻¹ DW in rye to 2770 μg·g⁻¹ DW in spring barley. The relatively high concentration was noticed for ferulic acid (from 73.8 μg·g⁻¹ DW in buckwheat to 1046 μg·g⁻¹ DW in spring barley) and p-coumaric acid (from 50 μg·g⁻¹ DW in oat to 1499 μg·g⁻¹ DW in buckwheat). The observed differences in the phenolics content between two successive vegetation seasons can reflect the effect of abiotic and biotic environmental factors on the phenolics level in studied plants. In the greenhouse experiment the effect of particular compounds on the growth of Echinochloa crus-galli was also studied. It has been found that the examined phenolics, and especially trans-cinnamic acid and mixture of phenolic compounds, significantly inhibit the growth of Echinochloa crus-galli. The obtained results may contribute to the explanation of the biological activity of some phenolic compounds.     

Effects of an African grass invasion on vegetation,soil and interstitial water characteristics in a tropical freshwater marsh in La Mancha,Veracruz (Mexico)

Abstract

The transformation of freshwater wetlands to pastures is a common practice in Mexico. This rapid loss of wetlands contrasts with the scarce information that exists about these ecosystems. To identify the environmental factors that control vegetation structure of a freshwater wetland invaded by the African grass Echinochloa pyramidalis, we characterized the vegetation (species composition, cover and aerial biomass), soil (moisture, redox potential, bulk density and topography) and water (water depth level, electric conductivity and pH) in two seasons of the year (dry and rainy). In addition, we analyzed the soil and water of three vegetation areas in the wetland, one dominated by E. pyramidalis, another by Sagittaria lancifolia and a third by Typha domingensis. The parameters associated with the hydrology of the wetland (water level, soil moisture, redox potential and bulk density) explained the plant species distribution. The invasive grass dominated in the relatively drier areas in the wetland while native species such as S. lancifolia, T. domingensis and Pontederia sagitatta dominated wetter sites. Introduction of E. pyramidalis has caused negative changes in the wetland, in particular a decrease of the diversity of plant species. In addition, we believe that the invader grass, as a C4 species, has more efficient use of water than the native plants, as well as a larger biomass, characteristics that can change the hydrological pattern of this wetland.     

Effect of low temperatures on the activity of oxygen-scavenging enzymes in two populations of the C4 grass Echinochloa crus-galli

To discriminate among possible mechanisms responsible for the differential response to cold temperatures among ecotypes of the C₄ grass weed species Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv., the specific activities of five oxygen-scavenging enzymes responsible for the elimination or reduction of free radicals and hydrogen peroxide during cold-induced photoinhibition were determined in 5-week-old plants of two populations of the species collected from sites of contrasting climates, Québec (QUE) and Mississippi (MISS). Enzyme activities were measured at temperatures ranging from 5 to 30°C. The specific activities of ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase were significantly higher in cold-adapted QUE plants at low assay temperatures than in warm-adapted MISS plants at the same temperature. The specific activities of superoxide dismutase assayed at 5 and 25°C were similar among plants of the two E. crus-galli populations. Ascorbate concentrations were not different among plants of the two populations, suggesting that the observed differences in the specific activities of ascorbate peroxidase assayed at 5°C, truly reflect a better capacity of the QUE enzyme to reduce H₂O₂ to water at temperature conditions associated with the photoinhibitory process. The enhanced specific activity of four of the five oxygen-scavenging enzymes measured in the cold-adapted QUE population at low assay temperatures correlates with the syndrome of cold-adapted features reported for plants of this population in earlier studies.