Sequence Tag Site and Host Range Assays Demonstrate that Radapholus similis and R. citraphilus are not Reproductively Isolated

Males of citrus-parasitic Radopholus citrophilus (FL1) were mated with non-citrus-parasitic R. similis (FL5) females. Progeny inherited a 2.4-kb sequence tag site (DK#1) and the ability to reproduce in citrus from the paternal parent (FLl); both traits were absent in the maternal line (FL5). The hybrid progeny produced offspring in roots of citrus seedlings over an 8-month period and therefore were considered reproductively viable. Genomic DNA hybridization studies indicated that one or more copies of DK#1 were present in R. citrophilus FL1. It is not likely that DK#1 represents a citrus parasitism gene because it was amplified from some burrowing nematode isolates that did not parasitize citrus and because DK#1 contains no open reading frames. Inability to reliably test individual nematodes for their ability to parasitize citrus was a constraint to obtaining F2 data required for definitive genetic characterization of citrus parasitism in burrowing nematodes, and alternate approaches will be required. Although the physical relationship of DK#1 and the citrus parasitism locus remains undefined, results of controlled mating studies using these parameters as genetic markers enabled us to identify hybrid F₁ progeny. Therefore, R. similis and R. citrophilus are not sibling species since gene flow between the two does not appear to be restricted via geographic isolation (sympatric in Florida) or by genetics.     

Distribution of golgi apparatus-associated polyribosomes across the polarity axis of dictyosomes of wild carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Summary Endoplasmic reticulum-polyribosome-Golgi apparatus associations were a general feature of cells of suspension cultures of wild carrot (Daucus carota L.). Free polyribosomes occurred within the Golgi apparatus zone for all dictyosomes and with equal frequency at all levels within the stack including the most mature or trans face. When evaluated and quantified from electron micrographs, approximately 60% of the dictyosome profiles were characterized by a system of transition elements consisting of part smooth-part rough endoplasmic reticulum. These were encountered most frequently in the immediate vicinity of the immature, forming or cis face, usually toward the periphery of the stacked cisternae. Analysis of serial sections showed that those dictyosome profiles not exhibiting this characteristic did so primarily because of an unfavorable plane of sectioning. All dictyosomes examined in 5 or more serial sections revealed some type of close association with endoplasmic reticulum. Some of the associations were so close that direct connections between Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum tubules could not be excluded. Also present, especially at the forming or cis face, were small 600 nm transition vesicles with nap-like surface coats on nearly 90% of the dictyosomes examined. More than 50% exhibited spiny (clathrin-)coated vesicles at the mature or trans face.     

Haploid plants regenerated via anther culture in wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum C. Kock)

Summary Androgenic plants have been obtained via anther culture in four natural populations of Hordeum spontaneum. Microscopic observations revealed that androgenesis started with the formation of two vegetative-type nuclei derived from the mitotic division of the uninucleate microspores. In this species androgenesis was affected by the type and concentration of the sugars added to the culture medium: the highest response (17% of callusing anthers) was observed on media containing 80 g l^–1 maltose. The highest production of androgenic plants (per 100 anthers, 5.9 green and 4.3 albino plants) was obtained from callus grown on these same media. About half of the green plants regenerated were haploid, while the others were diploid and set seed.Abbreviations IAA indolacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine     

Isolation of invertase from banana fruit (Musa cavendishii)

A soluble form of invertase (β-d-fructofuranoside fructohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.26) has been purified from ripe banana fruit (Musa cavendishii). The enzyme has a high specific activity and an apparent MW of 220 000 daltons; it appears to be glycoprotein containing 12.5% mannose and 12% glucosamine.     

Molecular identification of selected bees from the Indian Himalaya: A preliminary effort

DNA barcoding has largely been tested for a wide range of taxa and evidenced as a reliable and rapid molecular tool for species-level identification. The present study lends to generate 156 DNA barcodes, of which 141 belonged to 30 morphologically identified bees from the Indian Himalayan Regions (IHRs). The generated barcode data along with 84 sequences of global database distinctly discriminated all the studied species with sufficient genetic distances and cohesive monophyletic clustering in Bayesian analysis (BA) phylogeny. The species delimitation methods, Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD), Bayesian Poisson-Tree-Processes (bPTP), and General Mixed Yule-coalescent (GMYC) yielded 68, 70, and 71 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) respectively. The present DNA barcode-based examination detected the possible cryptic diversity in two Apis species (A. cerana and A. dorsata), Bombus hypnorum, Lepidotrigona arcifera, and Ceratina sutepensis. The present study also evidenced the species complexes within Bombus albopleuralis and Bombus trifasciatus in the IHRs. The species delimitation methods also detected an additional seven putative species from the IHRs, which were identified up to the genus level. In conclusion, this preliminary effort helps to develop a reliable barcode database of bees from the Indian IHRs to facilitate the future systematics study. These molecular data can be utilized to evaluate the population structures and assist to formulate the effective plans for bee conservation.     

浙江省葡萄属野生葡萄资源调查与开发利用研究

浙江是中国野生葡萄属资源分布较广泛、种类较多的地区之一,但对野生葡萄属资源的深入研究和合理开发利用不多。我们在野外调查和民间走访的基础上,结合查询文献资料,分析浙江境内野生葡萄资源的特点,并提出野生葡萄资源创新利用的思路。     

14种中国典型极小种群野生植物繁育特性和人工繁殖研究进展

繁殖是植物种群更新与维持的重要环节。包括极小种群野生植物在内的受威胁物种, 其濒危原因是在长期演化过程中自身繁育力的衰退、生活力的下降等内在因素和人类的过度采挖和生境的破坏等外在因素共同作用的结果。对极小种群野生植物进行高效的人工繁殖, 能扩大种群数量并应用于迁地保护、自然回归和满足商品市场的需求, 有利于其种质资源的保护和可持续利用。为了保持物种的遗传多样性, 采用种子繁殖育苗是有效的方法, 扦插、嫁接和组织培养技术等无性繁殖方法则可用于对难以用种子繁殖的种类进行快速繁殖。本文对14种中国典型极小种群野生植物的繁殖特性和已有的人工繁殖方法进行了综述, 并简要介绍在其种苗繁殖研究方面取得的进展。其中利用播种繁殖成功的物种有12种, 共繁殖230,000株种苗; 利用扦插繁殖成功的物种有5种, 共繁殖33,100株种苗; 华盖木(Manglietiastrum sinicum)、河北梨(Pyrus hopeiensis)和黄梅秤锤树(Sinojackia huangmeiensis)采用嫁接繁殖出了2,415株种苗; 9个物种的组织培养技术获得成功, 共繁殖了24,850株种苗。这些种苗有些已应用于迁地保护和自然回归。上述研究结果为这14种极小种群野生植物的保护和利用提供了理论和技术基础, 也能为其他极小种群野生植物的保护和利用提供参考。     

横县野生种子植物区系及与附近地区的比较研究

为了解广西横县野生种子植物区系特征,对横县野生种子植物进行了调查分析。结果表明,广西横县有野生种子植物1 269种,隶属于163科658属,以被子植物占优势,而裸子植物则贫乏。在科属种组成上,以大科、区域单型属和少型属为主;生活型组成反映亚热带常绿阔叶林群落特征,藤本植物种类丰富。种子植物地理成分均以热带成分为主,兼备亚热带和温带成分。与邻近地区相比较,横县种子植物区系与广东紫金县相似性较高,区系成分组成则与广东新会区、紫金县相近。因此,横县地区野生种子植物种类丰富,热带性质明显,呈热带至亚热带过渡性质,起源古老,具有一定特有现象,与广东地区联系密切。     

极小种群野生植物坡垒的生境特征及其对幼苗多度的影响

极小种群野生植物坡垒(Hopea hainanensis)曾经是热带低地雨林的优势种, 但由于商业采伐和刀耕火种等严重人类干扰及自然更新困难, 致使其种群数量急剧下降到最小可存活的界限, 急需开展种群的拯救恢复工作。而对于坡垒生境适宜性及更新限制的了解, 是进行种群保护及恢复的基础。本文在对野生坡垒种群及其生境因子调查测定的基础上, 分析了生物与非生物生境特征及其对坡垒种群更新幼苗多度的影响。结果表明: 坡垒种群从幼苗至幼树阶段存在着严重的增补限制。坡度小、土壤含水量和有效磷含量高、母株胸径和冠幅较大、伴生种胸高断面积中等的环境是坡垒幼苗较为适宜的生境, 且坡垒幼苗多度与坡度及土壤pH值显著负相关, 与土壤含水量及土壤全磷含量显著正相关。这些研究结果为极小种群野生植物坡垒的就地保护与种群复壮提供了科学依据。     

微生境对黄梅秤锤树野生种群叶片功能性状的影响

植物功能性状可以反映植物应对环境变化的适应策略。本文以黄梅秤锤树(Sinojackia huangmeiensis)当前唯一野生种群为对象, 比较了3种微生境(湖边、种群中心、耕地边)中该物种的叶片功能性状均值、种内变异和叶片生态化学计量特征的差异, 分析了黄梅秤锤树对湖岸带微生境变化的响应及其适应策略。结果表明: (1) 3种微生境中土壤C、N、P含量没有显著性差异(P > 0.05), 但土壤C∶N和C∶P具有显著性差异(P < 0.05), 土壤类型和养分条件有所不同。(2)黄梅秤锤树叶片功能性状的比较用单因素方差分析和贝叶斯方差分析得出的结果一致, 均为叶长、叶面积和比叶面积在中心区域显著高于湖边(P < 0.05), 而耕地边与湖边和中心区域均没有显著差异(P > 0.05); 叶N含量在湖边显著高于中心区域和耕地边(P < 0.05), 而中心区域和耕地边间没有显著差异(P > 0.05); 叶宽、叶长/叶宽、叶干物质含量、叶C和叶P含量在3种微生境间都没有显著性差异(P > 0.05)。(3)黄梅秤锤树叶片的N∶P在湖边显著高于中心区域和耕地边(P < 0.05), C∶N在湖边显著小于中心区域和耕地边(P < 0.05), N∶P和C∶N在中心区域和耕地边没有显著性差异(P > 0.05), C∶P在3种微生境间都没有显著性差异(P > 0.05)。(4)黄梅秤锤树叶片功能性状的总体变异程度在0.02-0.28之间, 其中叶片C和N含量在湖边和中心区域的种内变异程度显著较低, 表明3种生境中湖边和中心区域黄梅秤锤树种群的稳定性相对较差。(5)湖边黄梅秤锤树主要通过增加叶N含量促进生长; 中心区域黄梅秤锤树主要通过增加叶面积和比叶面积以及提高叶N的利用效率来提高光捕获能力促进生长; 耕地边黄梅秤锤树的叶N含量和叶面积、比叶面积都处于中等水平, 通过性状之间的共同作用使植株生长达到最佳水平。以上结果表明, 由于微地形、水位波动和土壤环境条件的差异, 黄梅秤锤树对3种生境中的适应策略有所不同, 并且不是通过单一性状调整来适应环境的变化, 而是通过多种性状之间的权衡达到更好的适应效果。