Factors affecting the survival of Bradyrhizobium applied in liquid cultures to soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seeds

AIMS: To determine the impact of medium composition, bacterial strain, trehalose accumulation, and relative humidity during seed storage on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on soya bean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seeds. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacteria in liquid cultures were applied to seeds, and the number of survivors was quantified after 2, 24, 48, or 96 h. Addition of yeast extract to a defined medium increased on-seed survival 50- to 80-fold. Addition of 40 mmol l(-1) of NaCl to the medium doubled or tripled the accumulation of trehalose in cells and increased survival several fold, and the addition of both salt and trehalose had an additive effect. There was a threefold difference among strains in survival, and survival of the various strains was significantly correlated with differences in the accumulation of trehalose. The correlation between trehalose accumulation by bacteria and survival was also highly significant in other experiments. Studies in controlled humidity environments showed 100-fold or more differences in survival. CONCLUSIONS: The consistently significant correlation of trehalose content of cells with survival on seed suggests that trehalose is an important component of the survival mechanisms. When some of the factors (salt and trehalose in the medium plus humidity control) were studied in combination, several 100-fold increases in survival of bacteria on seeds were recorded. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: It is possible by manipulation of several parameters--strain selection, salt and trehalose content of the medium, control of relative humidity--to achieve substantial improvements in survival of Bradyrhizobium on soya bean seeds.     

Microclimatic Conditions Regulate Surface Activity in Harvester Ants <Emphasis Type="Italic">Messor barbarus</Emphasis>

This paper analyses the effect of microclimatic factors (internal soil temperature, surface temperature and surface relative humidity) on surface activity of Messor barbarus harvester ants. We selected 44 colonies in an area of Mediterranean grassland near Madrid (Central Spain), which were monitored for activity between March 1998 and September 1999. Results indicate that microclimatic factors are good predictors of colony activation and intensity of activity. Colonies became active above certain critical values of internal soil temperature and relative humidity. For active colonies, surface temperature was the main regulatory factor for worker departure rate, which peaked at around 25–30°C. Worker speed was positively correlated with surface temperature, although the relationship was weaker for large-sized workers. Microclimatic factors were not enough, however, to predict task allocation outside the nest. The explanation for this aspect of ant behavior probably requires the inclusion of biotic factors in the models.     

From observations to experiments in phenology research: investigating climate change impacts on trees and shrubs using dormant twigs

Background and Aims Climate change is advancing the leaf-out times of many plant species and mostly extending the growing season in temperate ecosystems. Laboratory experiments using twig cuttings from woody plant species present an affordable, easily replicated approach to investigate the relative importance of factors such as winter chilling, photoperiod, spring warming and frost tolerance on the leafing-out times of plant communities. This Viewpoint article demonstrates how the results of these experiments deepen our understanding beyond what is possible via analyses of remote sensing and field observation data, and can be used to improve climate change forecasts of shifts in phenology, ecosystem processes and ecological interactions.Scope The twig method involves cutting dormant twigs from trees, shrubs and vines on a single date or at intervals over the course of the winter and early spring, placing them in containers of water in controlled environments, and regularly recording leaf-out, flowering or other phenomena. Prior to or following leaf-out or flowering, twigs may be assigned to treatment groups for experiments involving temperature, photoperiod, frost, humidity and more. Recent studies using these methods have shown that winter chilling requirements and spring warming strongly affect leaf-out and flowering times of temperate trees and shrubs, whereas photoperiod requirements are less important than previously thought for most species. Invasive plant species have weaker winter chilling requirements than native species in temperate ecosystems, and species that leaf-out early in the season have greater frost tolerance than later leafing species.Conclusions This methodology could be extended to investigate additional drivers of leaf-out phenology, leaf senescence in the autumn, and other phenomena, and could be a useful tool for education and outreach. Additional ecosystems, such as boreal, southern hemisphere and sub-tropical forests, could also be investigated using dormant twigs to determine the drivers of leaf-out times and how these ecosystems will be affected by climate change.     

Enantioselective Preparation,Conformational Analysis and Absolute Configuration of Highly Substituted Aziridines

The first example of organocatalytic aziridination reaction of α‐substituted‐α,β‐unsaturated ketones is presented. The reaction was found to be highly enantio‐ and diastereoselective, yielding N‐tosylated aziridines. Low‐temperature nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra allowed for the determination of the N‐inversion barrier, that was found to be quite lower with respect to unsubstituted aziridines. A thorough conformational analysis supported by low‐temperature NMR data allowed for the determination of the absolute configuration of the main stereoisomer by means of time‐dependent Density Functional Theory simulation of the electronic circular dichroism spectra. Chirality 27:875–887, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

基于冠层温湿度模型的日光温室黄瓜霜霉病预警方法

利用温室环境参数构建室内微环境模拟模型,并结合温室病害模型进行预警,便于开展病害生态防治,以减少农药使用,从而保护温室生态环境和保证农产品质量安全.本文利用温室内能量守恒原理和水分平衡原理,构建了日光温室冠层叶片温度和空气相对湿度模拟模型.叶片温度模拟模型考虑了温室内植物与墙体、土壤、覆盖物之间的辐射热交换,以及室内净辐射、叶片蒸腾作用引起的能量变化;相对湿度模拟模型综合了温室内叶片蒸腾、土壤蒸发、覆盖物与叶面的水汽凝结引起的水分变化.将温湿度估计模型输出值作为参数,输入黄瓜霜霉病初侵染和潜育期预警模型中,估计黄瓜霜霉病发病日期,并与田间观测的实际发病日期比较.试验选取2014年9月和10月的温湿度监测数据进行模型验证,冠层叶片温度实际值与模拟值的均方根偏差（RMSD)分别为0.016和0.024 ℃,空气相对湿度实际值与模拟值的RMSD分别为0.15%和0.13%.结合温湿度估计模型结果表明,黄瓜病害预警系统预测黄瓜霜霉病发病日期与田间调查发病日期相吻合.本研究可为黄瓜日光温室病害预警模型及系统构建提供微环境数据支持.     

Seasonal variations in the occurrence of Golovinomyces orontii and Podosphaera xanthii,causal agents of cucurbit powdery mildew in Northern Italy

Powdery mildew, caused by Golovinomyces orontii and Podosphaera xanthii, is a widespread disease that causes important losses in cucurbit production. To determine the aetiology and the epidemiology of cucurbit powdery mildew disease in the North of Italy, observations on the occurrence of the main disease‐causing fungal species were conducted during the 2010, 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. Samples of infected leaves of zucchini, melon and pumpkin plants, either from field or greenhouse crops, were collected every 15–18 days from May to September/October. To identify the fungal species, both morphological observations based on the asexual stage and molecular identifications by a Multiplex‐PCR reaction with species‐specific primers were performed. Climatic parameters of temperature and relative humidity were also monitored. Pearson's correlation coefficient and Principal Component Analysis showed a negative significant correlation between the two species, and a peculiar epidemiological behaviour was also observed: the earlier infections were caused by G. orontii, which was the predominant species till the end of June–middle of July. At this time, this species progressively decreased in frequency and was replaced by P. xanthii that became the main species infecting cucurbits till the end of the growing season. As the two species have different ecological requirements, these seasonal variations in the cucurbit powdery mildew species composition could possibly be explained by the influence of temperature and relative humidity on the pathogen epidemiology during the growing season but also by the different overwintering strategies adopted by the two species.     

旅游环境舒适度评价及其时空分异——以杭州西湖为例

旅游环境舒适度是影响旅游者出行决策和消费行为的重要因素,进一步影响到目的地适游期长短和旅游设施利用率。影响旅游舒适度的因素主要包括气候与环境两方面。以杭州西湖景区为研究对象,尝试将影响舒适度的空气质量、噪音等环境因素与气候因素共同纳入评价体系,选取温度、相对湿度、二氧化碳、一氧化碳、噪音5项指标和6个代表性检测点,进行为期1a定时定点检测,在排除二氧化碳与一氧化碳影响的基础上,构建了旅游环境舒适度评价模型,研究景区尺度存在的旅游环境舒适度时空分异特征。研究发现:不舒适时段主要集中在1月上旬到2月下旬,舒适和较舒适时段主要集中于2月下旬到7月中旬、8月下旬到11月下旬;山区与湖区各项环境指标要优于近城区、游客集聚区及交通繁忙区,平均舒适度山区(1.30)湖心区(1.66)城区(1.82)近城区(2.02)游人集聚区(2.47)交通繁忙区(2.48)。6个观测点在不同时段表现的舒适度差异也不同,差异最大的时段出现在4月中旬到5月中旬,差异最小时段出现在1月上旬到2月下旬。温湿度与噪音存在反向协同作用,引起环境舒适度变化。温湿度舒适时段往往旅游活动频繁,导致噪音升高降低了旅游环境舒适度。温湿度不舒适期旅游活动减少使得声环境相对舒适。     

夏季栾树群落冠层结构对其环境温湿度的调节作用

为探究栾树群落降温增湿作用与其冠层结构参数的相关性在一天中的变化趋势,于天气晴朗的夏季对北京奥林匹克森林公园栾树群落内部和对照点的温度、相对湿度、群落冠层结构参数进行了铡定.结果表明:栾树群落的郁闭度与叶面积指数、平均叶倾角呈显著相关,且叶面积指数与平均叶倾角呈显著相关;在夏季8:00-18:00,栾树群落可降低空气温度0.43～7.53℃,在12:00左右达到降温最大值,增加相对湿度1％ ～ 22％,且在10:00左右增湿作用最显著,而在18:00-次日8:00降温增湿效果不明显;9:00-12:00,郁闭度和叶面积指数显著影响栾树群落的降温增湿作用;12:00-14:00,仅郁闭度与降温增湿作用显著相关;直到18:00,郁闭度和叶面积指数共同决定了栾树群落的降温增湿作用.因此,影响栾树群落降温增湿作用的冠层结构参数在一天中随着时间的推移发生变化.     

Influence of substrate and relative humidity on the efficacy of three entomopathogenic fungi for the hide beetle,Dermestes maculatus (Coleoptera,Dermestidae)

Dermestes maculatus De Geer (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) is a carrion feeder that is also a pest of poultry houses, museums, silkworm culture, and many stored foods. The Hypocreales, Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff), and Isaria fumosorosea Wize, were tested for efficacy against D. maculatus larvae on concrete, plastic, leather, and wood surfaces. Only wood had a significant negative effect on efficacy, and B. bassiana was the most efficacious species. The conidia of all three species lost viability quickly on wood with various responses on the other surfaces. When beetle larvae were exposed to deposited B. bassiana and incubated at 43, 56, 75, or 82% relative humidity, mortality was greatest at the lowest humidity suggesting enhancement of fungal infection by desiccation stress. The results indicate that entomopathogenic Hypocreales, especially B. bassiana, may be useful for control of hide beetles when applied at a low dose to surfaces that do not impact the viability of conidia.     

Prediction model of DnBP degradation based on BP neural network in AAO system

A laboratory-scale anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (AAO) system was established to investigate the fate of DnBP. A removal kinetic model including sorption and biodegradation was formulated, and kinetic parameters were evaluated with batch experiments under anaerobic, anoxic, oxic conditions. However, it is highly complex and is difficult to confirm the kinetic parameters using conventional mathematical modeling. To correlate the experimental data with available models or some modified empirical equations, an artificial neural network model based on multilayered partial recurrent back propagation (BP) algorithm was applied for the biodegradation of DnBP from the water quality characteristic parameters. Compared to the kinetic model, the performance of the network for modeling DnBP is found to be more impressive. The results showed that the biggest relative error of BP network prediction model was 9.95%, while the kinetic model was 14.52%, which illustrates BP model predicting effluent DnBP more accurately than kinetic model forecasting.