Entomopathogenic fungi from Argentina for the control of Schistocerca cancellata (Orthoptera: Acrididae) nymphs: fungal pathogenicity and enzyme activity

The South American locust Schistocerca cancellata (Serville) was the most serious agricultural pest in Argentina during the first half of the last century and remains as a threat when preventive control measures are relaxed in the outbreak area. In this study, we analysed in the laboratory, the effectiveness of 26 fungal strains (isolated from both insects and soil collected in Argentina) for S. cancellata control and determined the relationship between the chitinase, protease and lipase levels in these fungi and their insecticidal activities. We observed that Beauveria bassiana (isolate LPSC 1067) caused the highest mortality (90±1.03%), the highest values of chitinolytic, proteolytic and lipolytic activity were 6.13±0.05, 2.56±0.11 and 2.33±0.47, respectively, and the lowest median lethal time was 5.96 days. This is the first time that a wide variability in chitinase, protease and lipase activity as well as in virulence has been reported in a representative sample of different entomopathogenic fungal strains from Argentina.     

干旱胁迫下四倍体刺槐幼苗水分利用效率及稳定碳同位素组成的研究

在模拟自然干旱的条件下,测定2个四倍体刺槐品种(K2、K3)和普通二倍体刺槐(K1)一年生组培苗的长期和瞬时水分利用效率(WUE)及其稳定碳同位素组成(δ13C),以探讨四倍体刺槐的抗旱机理.结果表明,K2、K3的长期水分利用效率(WUEL)在不同水分胁迫条件下都显著高于K1,它们在同等供水条件下比K1具有更大的生物量产出;3个材料叶片的瞬时水分利用效率(WUEI)均随干旱胁迫的加剧表现先升后降的趋势,且胁迫处理均高于适宜水分处理.随水分胁迫的加剧,各品种刺槐苗木叶片的δ13C显著升高;K2、K3的δ13C在各水分条件下均高于K1;各材料叶片的δ13C与其WUEL有良好的正相关性,可以作为筛选高WUE刺槐品种的指标.     

四平地区六种优势蝗虫精巢发育的动态变化

在吉林省四平地区对6种优势蝗虫进行野外罩养,从成虫出现到死亡期间,对蝗虫精巢发育动态变化进行解剖学测量、统计分析和组织学观察。结果表明,蝗虫成虫刚出现时精巢发育水平较高,精巢长度显著增长但宽度增长差异不显著,随着虫体发育精巢体积达到峰值后出现下降趋势。不同种蝗虫精巢发育具有明显的种间差异,成虫出现时其精巢发育水平依次为长翅素木蝗>黄胫小车蝗>绿牧草蝗>素色异爪蝗>条纹异爪蝗>异翅负蝗,并且各蝗虫类群精巢发育的体积动态变化各不相同,体现出各蝗虫类群精巢生理功能的强弱。组织学观察显示,蝗虫发育不同时期精巢内以不同类型的精母细胞为主,精巢体积增长是精母细胞增长和成熟精子积累的结果,精巢体积下降为交配活动导致的大量精子外排以及其生理机能减退所至。     

Multiple origins of Locusta migratoria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) in the Japanese Archipelago and the presence of two major clades in the world: evidence from a molecular approach

Phylogenetic relationships among migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) populations in different climatic regions were analysed by sequencing four mitochondrial DNA regions, with special reference to the origin of Japanese populations. The populations are clearly separated into two clades: one consists of individuals from temperate and cold‐temperate areas of Japan and the Chinese continent, and the other comprises those from subtropical islands of Japan, Hainan Island in China, Timol Leste, Australia, Ethiopia, France, and some individuals from Tsushima Island and Honshu of Japan. The divergence time between the two clades is estimated to be 0.86–1.89 Mya. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that Japanese L. migratoria populations were composed of individuals of six different origins: (1) Hokkaido populations possibly from the Russian continent; (2) Honshu–Kyushu populations from the Chinese continent; (3) Southwest Island populations from Hainan Island or adjacent areas; (4) Ogasawara populations that might have originated from Micronesia; (5) part of the Tsushima population that originated from somewhere in the Asian tropics; and (6) a possible relict population of ancient southern haplotypes that exists in western areas of northern Honshu. The Tsugaru Straits and Tokara Straits have acted as effective geographical barriers, as in other organisms, isolating locust populations for a few thousand years. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 570–581.     

An effective method for axillary bud culture and RAPD analysis of cloned plants in tetraploid black locust

An efficient micropropagation technique by axillary bud multiplication was established for cloning tetraploid black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). The result showed that the optimal medium for shoot multiplication and elongation was Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine in combination with 0.5 mg/l kinetin and 0.1 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid. The best medium for rooting was half-strength MS medium with 0.25 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid. In the present report, we examined the genetic fidelity of the micropropagated plants by the randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method with 25 primers. The cloned plants of tetraploid black locust showed complete stability.Abbreviations BAP 6-Benzylaminopurine - GA₃ Gibberellic acid - IBA Indole-3-butyric acid - KIN Kinetin - MS Murashige and Skoog medium - NAA 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid - PCR Polymerase chain reaction - RAPD Randomly amplified polymorphic DNACommunicated by M. Beckert     

混栽杨树-刺槐间磷素养分转移途径的研究

应用^32P同位素示踪法,人工接种VA菌根菌(Glomus mosseae),对种植在根箱中的杨树(Populus euramericana cv.‘I-214')和刺槐(Robinia pseudoacia)苗木进行了树种间P素养分转移途径的研究．结果表明,5室根箱中,接种VA菌根菌的杨树一例,菌根侵染率为34％,根箱隔网另一侧的刺槐根系侵染率为26％,而对照的杨树和刺槐根系侵染率均为零．在杨树一例施放射性同位累^32P,施用后第14—27天,刺槐一例的放射性同位素值,处理显著高于对照(P＜0．05)、在根箱中的杨树和刺槐根系间观察到菌丝连接,表明人工接种VA菌根菌能在杨树和刺槐根系间产生菌丝桥,菌丝桥可以在杨树和刺槐根系间传递P素．养分转移定量分析表明,根系接触和根系分泌物是树种间P素转移的主要途径,其转移P素量占转移总量的62％;菌根菌等微生物活动及其与根系接触和根系分泌物两种途径的交互作用占38％;菌丝桥通过隔网发挥的作用仅表现为一种趋势．     

Ecdysteroids in the developing eggs of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria

Ecdysteroid levels in the developing eggs of Schistocerca gregaria were determined, at daily intervals, using gas chromatography and electron capture detection of ecdysteroid derivatives. Ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone were present both as the free ecdysteroid and as polar conjugates. Total ecdysteroids reached a maximum of 40 ng/egg with ecdysone contributing the greater part.     

黄土高原南北样带尺度人工刺槐林对气候响应的敏感性分析

根据黄土高原南北样带尺度的人工刺槐林(Robinia pseudoacacia)的年轮宽度资料,分析了该地区刺槐树木生长趋势,以及刺槐年表对气候响应随降雨梯度变化规律。研究结果表明延安以北的刺槐样点(绥德、神木)年轮指数近期趋于下降,树木有生长衰退现象;而延安以南刺槐样点(延安、富县、宜君、永寿)年轮指数近期趋于上升,树木无生长衰退现象。气候响应结果表明,刺槐年表对气候响应均以延安样点最为敏感,表现年表与温度的负相关关系,以及年表与降雨和干旱指数的正相关关系,而延安以北和以南刺槐样点对气候响应敏感性均较低。黄土高原中部延安地区地处森林草原过渡带,刺槐生长对外界环境变化最为敏感,年表中气候信号也较强;延安以南地区地处森林植被带,气候条件较为适宜刺槐林生长,因而年表中气候信号较弱;延安以北地区地处草原植被带,气候条件比较恶劣,刺槐生长对干旱气候已有一定适应性特征,因而年表中气候信号也较弱。     

Adipokinetic hormone-induced influx of extracellular calcium into insect fat body cells is mediated through depletion of intracellular calcium stores

Adipokinetic hormone I (AKH I) needs extracellular Ca²⁺ for its activating action on glycogen phosphorylase in locust fat body in vitro. TMB-8 reduces this AKH effect significantly, indicating that for a major part, hormone action also requires the mobilization of Ca²⁺ from intracellular stores. Using ⁴⁵Ca²⁺, AKH was shown to stimulate both the influx and the efflux of Ca²⁺. Thapsigargin also enhances the influx of extracellular Ca²⁺ into the fat body cells, indicating that the stimulating effect of AKH on Ca²⁺ influx may be mediated through depletion of intracellular Ca²⁺ stores as well. AKH is known to enhance cAMP levels in locust fat body. We show that elevation of cAMP with forskolin or theophylline leads to activation of glycogen phosphorylase, both in the presence and in the absence of extracellular Ca²⁺. The present data are discussed in an attempt to elucidate further the mechanism underlying transduction of the hormonal signal in locust fat body.     

Electrogenic proton secretion in the Hindgut of the desert locust,Schistocerca gregaria

Summary The cellular mechanisms responsible for rectal acidification in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, were investigated in isolated recta mounted as flat sheets in modified Ussing chambers. Previous studies conducted in the nominal absence of exogenous CO₂ and HCO ₃ ^– suggested that the acidification was due to a proton-secretory rather than bicarbonate-reabsorptive mechanism (Thomson, R.B., Speight, J.D., Phillips, J.E. 1988. J. Insect Physiol. 34:829–837). This conclusion was confirmed in the present study by demonstrating that metabolic CO₂ could not contribute sufficient HCO ₃ ^– to the lumen to account for the rates of rectal acidification observed under the nominally CO₂/ HCO ₃ ^– -free conditions used in these investigations.Rates of luminal acidification (J _H ⁺) were completely unaffected by changes in contraluminal pH, but could be progressively reduced (and eventually abolished) by imposition of either transepithelial pH gradients (lumen acid) or transepithelial electrical gradients (lumen positive). Under short-circuit current conditions, the bulk of J _H ⁺ was not dependent on Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^–,Mg²⁺, or Ca²⁺ and was due to a primary electrogenic proton translocating mechanism located on the apical membrane. A small component (10–16%) of J _H ⁺ measured under these conditions could be attributed to an apical amiloride-inhibitable Na⁺/H⁺ exchange mechanism.This work was supported by operating grants to J.E.P. and postgraduate scholarships to R.B.T. from Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council, Canada.