Field observations of Ostrinia nubilalis eclosion and post‐eclosion activity of females around their natal plants

Abstract The early part of the post‐eclosion, pre‐mating period were examined under field conditions for Ostrinia nubilalis. Post‐eclosion behavior of 25 and 21 females during the first and second flight periods were observed until they left their natal site. Summer generation larvae were reared under field conditions and the timing of adult eclosion was observed. Eclosion occurred at two times during the day, peaking before dawn and before dusk; 46% of females and 56% of males eclosed during the morning period and the rest eclosed during the evening period. After eclosion, females spent 30–60 min expanding their wings. Their typical behavior was to remain calmly on their natal site. None of the females exhibited calling behavior before leaving. All females left their natal sites sometime before dawn. The probability of leaving increased with time. Leaving rates were not significantly different between females of the first and second flight. These field observations indicate that females have several possibilities for pre‐mating movement, which might allow females to move out from their natal field before mating. In addition, we also discuss the influence of pre‐mating movements in relation to the rate of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistance evolution.     

我国东北地区玉米穗腐镰孢菌的种类及其分离频率

从辽宁、吉林、黑龙江三省采集的43份玉米病穗上共分离获得327株镰孢菌,根据形态特征鉴定属于7个种,其分离频率分别为半裸镰孢菌(Fusarium semitecturrt)37.77%,尖孢镰孢菌(F.oxysporum)3.51%,拟轮枝镰孢菌(F.verticillioides)3.57%,克鲁克威尔镰孢菌(F.c...     

Effects of replacing palm oil with maize oil and Curcuma longa supplementation on the performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and fatty acid profile of the perirenal fat and muscle of growing rabbits

An experiment has been conducted to study the effects of the inclusion of plant oil in rabbit diets. This study was aimed at evaluating the beneficial effects of the inclusion of maize oil (MO), rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), compared to palm oil (PO) containing saturated fatty acids (SFAs), on the meat fatty acid (FA) profile. As UFAs are susceptible to rancidity, Curcuma longa (CL), which is known for its antioxidant properties, was also added (3 g/kg) to the diet with two plant oils. CL contains curcuminoids, volatile oils, sugars, proteins, resins and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). We also evaluated the influence of CL inclusion in the diet on the FA profile of the meat. Furthermore, the possibility of using these oil-enriched diets and the ability to assimilate CL in rabbits was evaluated by analysing the performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality. At the end of the experiment, there were no significant differences between the groups concerning the live weight, live weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, carcass yield or the percentages of edible organs. The hind legs, forelegs, loins and abdominal wall, breast and ribs, skin and limbs and head were not affected by the oil type or by the inclusion of CL. The chemical composition, pH and oxidative status of the Longissimus dorsi muscle of the rabbits fed the experimental diets were not affected by the oil source or by the CL supplementation. Conversely, it has been shown that it is possible to modify the FA profile of rabbit meat and fat by dietary means. The SFA/PUFA ratio significantly decreased from -18% to -16% in the meat and from -25% to -23% in the perirenal fat of the rabbits fed diets containing MO without or with CL supplementation, respectively, compared to same tissues of the rabbits fed diets containing PO without or with CL supplementation, respectively. Similar trends were found for the atherogenic index, which decreased from -20% to -17% in the meat and from -26% to -23% in the perirenal fat, respectively, and the thrombogenic index, which decreased from -19% to -24% in the meat and from -24% to -23% in the perirenal fat, respectively. CL increased the α-Linolenic acid and PUFA n-3 contents and reduced the vaccenic acid content and the n-6/n-3 ratio in the meat of the rabbits fed the PO or MO diets.     

Biodiversity and the mitigation of climate change through bioenergy: impacts of increased maize cultivation on farmland wildlife

The public promotion of renewable energies is expected to increase the number of biogas plants and stimulate energy crops cultivation (e.g. maize) in Germany. In order to assess the indirect effects of the resulting land‐use changes on biodiversity, we developed six land‐use scenarios and simulated the responses of six farmland wildlife species with the spatially explicit agent‐based model system ALMaSS. The scenarios differed in composition and spatial configuration of arable crops. We implemented scenarios where maize for energy production replaced 15% and 30% of the area covered by other cash crops. Biogas maize farms were either randomly distributed or located within small or large aggregation clusters. The animal species investigated were skylark (Alauda arvensis), grey partridge (Perdix perdix), European brown hare (Lepus europaeus), field vole (Microtus agrestis), a linyphiid spider (Erigone atra) and a carabid beetle (Bembidion lampros). The changes in crop composition had a negative effect on the population sizes of skylark, partridge and hare and a positive effect on the population sizes of spider and beetle and no effect on the population size of vole. An aggregated cultivation of maize amplified these effects for skylark. Species responses to changes in the crop composition were consistent across three differently structured landscapes. Our work suggests that with the compliance to some recommendations, negative effects of biogas‐related land‐use change on the populations of the six representative farmland species can largely be avoided.     

High‐throughput two‐dimensional root system phenotyping platform facilitates genetic analysis of root growth and development

High‐throughput phenotyping of root systems requires a combination of specialized techniques and adaptable plant growth, root imaging and software tools. A custom phenotyping platform was designed to capture images of whole root systems, and novel software tools were developed to process and analyse these images. The platform and its components are adaptable to a wide range root phenotyping studies using diverse growth systems (hydroponics, paper pouches, gel and soil) involving several plant species, including, but not limited to, rice, maize, sorghum, tomato and Arabidopsis. The RootReader2D software tool is free and publicly available and was designed with both user‐guided and automated features that increase flexibility and enhance efficiency when measuring root growth traits from specific roots or entire root systems during large‐scale phenotyping studies. To demonstrate the unique capabilities and high‐throughput capacity of this phenotyping platform for studying root systems, genome‐wide association studies on rice (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays) root growth were performed and root traits related to aluminium (Al) tolerance were analysed on the parents of the maize nested association mapping (NAM) population.     

Toxicological aspects of pendimethalin induced activities of certain oxidising and hydrolytic enzymes in the germinating seedlings of maize (Zea mays L.)

Maize (Zea mays L.) variety NAC-6002 grains were exposed to a range of field relevant concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 ppm) of formulated grade of pendimethalin. The seedlings were maintained in Hogaland and Arnon's nutrient media for up to 15 days to study the toxicity of pendimethalin on germination and activities of certain oxidizing and hydrolytic enzymes using embryonic axis and endosperms of 4, 6, 8, 10 and 15-day-old germinating maize seedlings. The percent germination, length of radicle and plumule decreased significantly with increasing pendimethalin concentrations. The α-amylase activity in the treated seedlings decreased with increasing concentration of pendimethalin in both endosperm and embryonic axis of maize seedling, when compared with control in all the days of observations. The catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase activity was high in both cotyledons and embryonic axis of treated sets at all time intervals of seedling during early growth over the period of 15 day when compared to control. However, catalase and peroxidase activity was decreased and polyphenoloxidase activity was higher in treated seedlings at higher pendimethalin concentrations. The present study therefore indicates that herbicidical stress brings constraints in the physiological events of seed germination and enzyme activity.     

Yield of maize as influenced by population densities of the root lesion nematode,Pratylenchus zeae

Under field conditions, population density of the root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus zeae in soil and roots of maize cv. Single Hybrid 10 fluctuated throughout its growing season and reached the peak in September, harvest stage of maize. There were negative correlations (r) between the population densities of P. zeae in maize roots and grain yield of maize according to the data collected at all growing seasons.     

粗缩病对玉米产量和籽粒品质的影晌

以6个对玉米粗缩病（MRDV）表现不同抗性的玉米品种为材料,研究了粗缩病对玉米产量性状和籽粒品质的影响。结果表明,在供试品种中,‘青农105’和‘青农8’为抗病品种,‘登海3622’和‘农大108’为中抗品种,‘先玉335’和‘郑单958’为感病品种。感病后,玉米果穗穗长、行粒数、穗粒重和产量显著降低,且损失程度表现为抗病品种〈中抗品种〈感病品种：籽粒中粗淀粉含量显著降低,粗蛋白含量升高,粗脂肪含量变化不明显。回归分析表明,通过旃情指数可以准确预测玉米粗缩病导致的产量损失。     

转Cry1Ah基因抗虫玉米HGK60对田间节肢动物及杂草多样性的影响

近年来,随着转基因技术快速发展,转基因作物环境释放风险成为需要重点关注的问题,而对生物多样性的影响研究是客观评价其风险的重要手段。本研究以2018年海南春、冬两季转Cry1Ah基因抗虫玉米‘HGK60'及其对照常规玉米‘郑58'为研究对象,重点探讨了其对田间节肢动物、虫害及杂草多样性的影响。 结果表明: 田间调查共记录节肢动物43753头,隶属7目19科69种,转基因抗虫玉米HGK60与对照常规玉米郑58的节肢动物群落组成、结构及各生态指标均无显著差异;与郑58玉米相比,转基因抗虫玉米HGK60对钻蛀类害虫具有明显的抗性;田间杂草隶属8科16种,转基因抗虫玉米HGK60与郑58玉米田间杂草在密度及各生态指标上差异均不显著,且二者在整个生育期的变化趋势基本一致。说明转Cry1Ah基因抗虫玉米HGK60的种植对田间节肢动物及杂草多样性无显著的影响。该结果为转基因作物的环境风险研究提供了一定的数据支持。     

减量施氮对渭北旱地春玉米产量、氮素利用及土壤硝态氮含量的影响

为确定渭北旱地春玉米减肥增效的科学生产模式,于2016—2019年在陕西合阳县实施旱地春玉米田间定位施肥试验。以郑单958和陕单8806为试验品种,设置5个施氮量处理,分别为360(N₃₆₀,当地农户常规施氮量)、270(N₂₇₀)、150～180(N_150-180)、75～90(N_75-90)和0 kg·hm^-2 (N₀),分析减量施氮处理下春玉米产量、氮素吸收利用及硝态氮残留状况。结果表明: 1)与N₃₆₀处理相比,两个品种在N_150-180处理下籽粒产量增加0.9%～7.1%,吸氮量降低4.1%～4.6%,平均氮肥回收利用率、偏生产力和农学效率分别提高79.3%～83.6%、105.9%～157.7%和101.9%～114.1%;2)在高施氮量(大于180 kg·hm^-2)处理下,硝态氮残留量显著增加;降雨不足显著降低玉米需氮量,导致氮素残留量增加。经过4年定位试验0～200 cm土层硝态氮含量高达504.7～620.8 kg·hm^-2,在80～140 cm土层出现累积峰,存在硝态氮淋失风险。根据年际间玉米籽粒产量表现、肥料利用效率和硝态氮残留状况综合评价,渭北旱地春玉米田适宜氮肥用量为150～180 kg N·hm^-2。