Leaf nitrogen distribution in relation to leaf age and photon flux density in dominant and subordinate plants in dense stands of a dicotyledonous herb

We studied the effects of photon flux density (PFD) and leaf position, a measure of developmental age, on the distribution of nitrogen content per unit leaf area (N _area) in plants of different heights, in dense stands grown at two nitrogen availabilities and in solitary plants of the erect dicotyledonous herb Xanthium canadense. Taller more dominant plants received higher PFD levels and experienced a larger difference in relative PFD between their youngest and oldest leaves than shorter subordinate plants in the stands. Differences in PFD between leaves of solitary plants were assumed to be minimal and differences in leaf traits, found for these plants, could thus be mainly attributed to an effect of leaf position. In the solitary plants, N _area decreased with leaf position while in the plants from the stands it decreased with decreasing relative PFD, indicating both factors to be important in determining the distribution of N _area. Due to the effect of leaf position on N _area, leaves of subordinate plants had a higher N _area than older leaves of dominant plants which were at the same height or slightly higher in the canopy. Consequently, the N _area distribution patterns of individual plants plotted as a function of relative PFD were steeper, and probably closer to the optimal distribution which maximizes photosynthesis, than the average distribution in the stand. Leaves of subordinate plants had a lower mass per unit area (LMA) than those of dominant plants. In the dominant plants, LMA decreased with decreasing relative PFD (and with leaf position) while in the subordinate plants it increased. This surprising result for the subordinate plants can be explained by the fact that, during the course of a growing season, these plants became increasingly shaded and newer leaves were thus formed at progressively lower light availability. This indicates that LMA was strongly determined by the relative PFD at leaf formation and to a lesser extent by the current PFD. Leaf N content per unit mass (N _mass) was strongly determined by leaf position independent of relative PFD. This indicates that N _mass is strongly ontogenetically related to the leaf-aging process while changes in N _area, in response to PFD, were regulated through changes in LMA. Received: 11 May 1997 / Accepted: 9 September 1997     

Effects of α-aminoisobutyric acid and D- and L-amino acids on ethylene production and content of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in cotyledonary segments of cocklebur seeds

In the cotyuledonary tissue of cocklebur ( Xanthium pennsylvanicum Wallr.) seeds, AIB (α- aminoisobutyric acid) inhibited not only the endogenous ethylene production but also the ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid)-dependent and IAA-induced ones. The inhibition of the endogenous ethylene production by AIB was accompanied by the accumulation of ACC in the tissue. Thus AIB may act as a competitive inhibitor of the conversion of ACC to ethylene and thereby inhibit ethylene production. The promotion of ethylene production by D-isomers of some amino acids, such as phenylalanine, valine, threonine and methionine was accompained by and increse in the ACC content, the degree of which was similar to that of the stimulation of ethylene production. Moreover, these D-amino acids stimulated the conversion of exogenously applied ACC to ethylene. The corresponding L-isomers failed to produce these effects. It seems likely that D-amino-acid-stimulated ethylene production results from the increases of both the biosynthesis and degradation of ACC. Only for tryptophan did both D- and L-isomers cause an increase in ethylene production and in ACC content in the segments. The mechanism of stimulation of ethylene production by the tryptophen isomers is possibly due to their conversion to IAA in the cotyledonary tissue.     

Systematic implications of the sesquiterpene lactones in the “strumarium” morphological complex (Xanthium strumarium, Asteraceae) of Europe, Asia and Africa

In most populations of the “strumarium” morphological complex of Xanthium strumarium L. (sensu lato) in northern Europe and in India, a new compound, xanthinosin, is the only detectable sesquiterpene lactone. In populations of this morphological complex in Portugal and Egypt as well as in eastern Asia, USSR, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan, xanthinin and xanthatin occur as major constituents along with xanthinosin. Experimental F, hybrids between pistillate Indian plants which contained only xanthinosin and staminate plants from Hong Kong which contained a mixture of xanthinin, xanthatin and xanthinosin produced a mixture of compounds in which the percentage of xanthinin increased relative to its percentage in the Hong Kong parent. The sesquiterpenoid data suggest that the various taxa in the “strumarium” morphological complex can be divided into three groups: (a) X. strumarium (sensu stricto) and X. indicum König, containing primarily or exclusively xanthinosin; (b) X. sibiricum Patrin and X. brasilicum Vell., with xanthinin and xanthinosin predominating; and (c) X. inaequilaterum DC., with almost equal proportions of xanthinin, xanthatin and xanthinosin. Two other taxa of the complex. X. japonicum Widd. and X. abyssinicum Wallr., were not available for inclusion in the present study.     

α-Aminoisabutyric acid, propyl gallate and cobalt ion and the mode of inhibition of ethylene production by cotyledonary segments of cocklebur seeds

Using cotyledonary segments of cocklebur ( Xanthium pennsylvanicum Wallr. ) seeds, the inhibitory effect of α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) on ethylene production was compared with that of propyl gallate and CoCl₂. Of these inhibitors only AIB was effective in causing the accumulation of endogenous free 1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) in the tissue. The degree of inhibition of ethylene production by AIB decreased markedly with increasing concentrations of pre-loaded ACC, while the inhibition by propyl gallate and CoCl₂ changed little. Kinetic analysis showed that AIB competitively inhibited the conversion of pre-loaded ACC to ethylene, but propyl gallate and CoC_l2 did not. Short-chain organic acids and analogues of AIB, such as acetic, propionic, butyric and cyclopropanecarboxylic acids, did not inhibit ethylene production by the segments. Thus, additional support for the competitive mode of inhibitory action of AIB on the conversion of free ACC to ethylene was provided.
A conjugated hydrolysable ACC was found to be present in abundance in cotyledons of this seed. However, its content in the tissue was hardly affected by treatment with the three inhibitors and by administration of exogenous ACC, suggesting that the conjugated ACC was not directly involved in ethylene production.     

The effect of high levels of carbon dioxide on dark respiration and growth of plants

Abstract Raising ambient levels of CO₂ during the night, between 350 and 950cm³m^?3, reduced the dark respiration rate of Medicago sativum seedlings. The percentage effect was greater for maintenance respiration than for dark respiration as a whole, and when the plants were in a low photosynthate status. Twenty-four h carbon balance studies confirmed a reduction in night time respiration and an increase of net carbon gain when night time [CO₂] was high. Growth experiments showed a small but significant increase of dry weight in Medicago sativum seedlings exposed to high [CO₂] (～ 1200 cm³m^?3) at night. This effect was greater for plants grown with Rhizobium nodules than for plants grown with nitrate in the absence of Rhizobium. A similar, but smaller and statistically non-significant effect of high night time [CO₂] on growth was found for Xanthium strumarium seedlings. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the rising CO₂ content of the atmosphere.     

苍耳4种溶剂提取物除草活性的研究

以油菜(Brassica campestris L.)、黄瓜(Cucumis sativus L.)、小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)和高粱(Sorghum vulgare Pers.)4种作物种子为供试材料,用种子萌发法测定了苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum Patrin)全株的石油醚、乙酸乙酯、丙酮和苯4种溶剂提取物的除草活性。结果表明,苍耳丙酮提取物对4种作物生长的抑制活性最高,其次为乙酸乙酯提取物和苯提取物,石油醚提取物对4种作物生长的抑制活性最低。不同作物幼根和幼茎对4种溶剂提取物的敏感性不同,油菜和高粱的幼根对苍耳丙酮提取物极为敏感,5 g.L-1苍耳丙酮提取物对油菜和高粱幼根生长的抑制率分别为90.7%和92.1%。     

Biological Control and Use of Adjuvants against Multiple Seeded Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) in Comparison with Several Other Cocklebur Types

Common cocklebur has several biotypes including multiple seeded cocklebur (MSC), NCC-TX, and NCC-MS. Alternaria helianthi applied at 2.5×10⁴ conidia mL^-1 in a 50% micro-emulsion of unrefined corn oil (MESUCO) or 0.2% Silwet L 77 caused 60-75% mortality on NCC-TX and MSC. Increasing the conidial concentration to 5×10⁴ mL^-1 increased mortality to 100% on MSC and NCC-TX, and 75% on NCC-MS. At 10×10⁴ conidia mL^-1, A. helianthi caused 100% mortality in all three biotypes. No mortality occurred in any biotype at inoculation rates of 2.5 and 5×10⁴ conidia mL^-1 when applied in water. Increasing the dew period from 0 to 12 h increased mortality from 0 to 100% on all three biotypes at a rate of 2.5×10⁴ conidia mL^-1 in Silwet and MESUCO. MSC appears to be the most sensitive biotype.     

Sesquiterpene lactone stereochemistry influences herbivore resistance and plant fitness in the field

Background and Aims

Stereochemical variation is widely known to influence the bioactivity of compounds in the context of pharmacology and pesticide science, but our understanding of its importance in mediating plant–herbivore interactions is limited, particularly in field settings. Similarly, sesquiterpene lactones are a broadly distributed class of putative defensive compounds, but little is known about their activities in the field.

Methods

Natural variation in sesquiterpene lactones of the common cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae), was used in conjunction with a series of common garden experiments to examine relationships between stereochemical variation, herbivore damage and plant fitness.

Key Results

The stereochemistry of sesquiterpene lactone ring junctions helped to explain variation in plant herbivore resistance. Plants producing cis-fused sesquiterpene lactones experienced significantly higher damage than plants producing trans-fused sesquiterpene lactones. Experiments manipulating herbivore damage above and below ambient levels found that herbivore damage was negatively correlated with plant fitness. This pattern translated into significant fitness differences between chemotypes under ambient levels of herbivore attack, but not when attack was experimentally reduced via pesticide.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this work represents only the second study to examine sesquiterpene lactones as defensive compounds in the field, the first to document herbivore-mediated natural selection on sesquiterpene lactone variation and the first to investigate the ecological significance of the stereochemistry of the lactone ring junction. The results indicate that subtle differences in stereochemistry may be a major determinant of the protective role of secondary metabolites and thus of plant fitness. As stereochemical variation is widespread in many groups of secondary metabolites, these findings suggest the possibility of dynamic evolutionary histories within the Asteraceae and other plant families showing extensive stereochemical variation.     

环氧苍耳素Ⅰ对菜青虫中肠消化酶和羧酸酯酶活性的影响

【目的】探明苍耳Xanthium sibiricum活性物质--环氧苍耳素Ⅰ对菜青虫的作用机理。【方法】采用饲喂法处理4龄菜青虫Pieris rapae, 测试从苍耳中分离提纯的环氧苍耳素Ⅰ（为倍半萜内酯类物质）对菜青虫中肠蛋白酶、 淀粉酶和羧酸酯酶活性的影响。【结果】环氧苍耳素Ⅰ对蛋白酶活性的抑制最强, 处理后12, 24和48 h, 菜青虫中肠蛋白酶抑制率分别为20.95%,29.38%和50.06%; 其次为淀粉酶, 抑制率分别为11.89%,39.01%和31.92%。同时,中肠羧酸酯酶活性在处理后12 h与对照之间无显著变化, 24 h 时活性被显著抑制, 而48 h时活性却明显高于对照。【结论】环氧苍耳素Ⅰ对昆虫中肠消化酶活性的抑制, 可能是引起昆虫表现取食抑制和生长发育不良的重要原因之一。     

不同氮水平下瘤突苍耳、苍耳及其杂交种形态、光合及生长特征比较

入侵种与本地种杂交可能会改变其入侵性。为探讨入侵种与本地种杂交是否能促进植物入侵, 我们通过盆栽实验比较了高、中和低3种氮水平下入侵植物瘤突苍耳(Xanthium strumarium)、本地近缘种苍耳(X. sibiricum)及两者杂交种(X. strumarium♀ × X. sibiricum♂)的形态、光合及生长特征的差异。结果表明, 杂交种的总生物量在中氮和高氮水平下显著低于瘤突苍耳而高于苍耳。然而, 杂交种的茎粗在低氮水平下显著高于两个亲本, 叶绿素总含量和蒸腾速率在高氮水平下显著高于瘤突苍耳, 相对生长速率在低氮和高氮水平下显著高于两个亲本。此外, 在3种氮水平下瘤突苍耳的株高均显著小于苍耳, 而杂交种的株高在中氮和高氮水平下均与苍耳无显著差异。这些特性有可能提高了杂交种对资源的捕获和利用能力, 使其不仅能适应贫瘠的养分环境, 还能在有利条件下扩大自身优势。杂交带来较高的生长速率可能与瘤突苍耳的入侵性相关。