CO2浓度升高对三种地被类观赏竹生理特性的影响

运用开顶式气室(OTCs)模拟大气CO₂浓度升高(500、700 μmol·mol^-1)情景,以环境背景大气为对照,研究CO₂浓度升高对3种地被类观赏竹(美丽箬竹、黄条金刚竹和白缟椎谷笹竹)叶片的膜脂过氧化和抗氧化系统的影响及其种间差异.结果表明: 试验进行103 d后,500 μmol·mol^-1CO₂浓度下,3种地被类观赏竹的叶片超氧阴离子含量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、相对电导率和可溶性糖含量总体上没有发生明显的变化,但叶片超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性有一定程度的改变;700 μmol·mol^-1 CO₂浓度下,3个竹种的叶片MDA含量和相对电导率没有发生明显变化,但对叶片超氧阴离子含量、可溶性糖含量和SOD、POD、CAT、APX活性的影响较为明显.不同竹种对CO₂浓度升高环境的适应能力为美丽箬竹＞黄条金刚竹＞白缟椎谷笹竹.     

增施氮磷肥对木荷林凋落物生产量及其养分的影响

以浙江天童常绿阔叶林木荷群落为对象,2011年研究了不同施氮磷肥水平下凋落物生产量和养分动态特征.结果表明: 增施氮磷肥处理后,木荷群落凋落物的年生产量在6.82～8.30 t·hm^-2·a^-1,呈“三峰型”季节动态模式;凋落物年平均氮含量(P处理除外)和年平均磷含量增加;凋落物氮磷含量季节动态发生改变,而对凋落物氮年归还量(60.05～7147 kg·hm^-2·a^-1)和磷年归还量(2.94～3.93 kg·hm^-2·a^-1)没有显著影响.与对照相比,试验初期(2011年春季)各施肥处理下的凋落叶氮磷比普遍较高,而2011年冬季较低,说明长期施加氮磷肥可能改变森林生态系统原有的氮磷限制状况.     

Biological response of S. littoralis larvae to feeding on diet mixed with neem product at different concentrations

Studies were carried out to determine the effect of the neem product, suneem oil, at two concentrations 10 and 100 ppm, on the second instar larvae of S. littoralis in the laboratory. Two sets of experiments were carried out, choice and no choice. Results showed that suneem oil has anti-feeding and repellency effects on the test insects and it markedly affects the longevity of larvae and pupae, impairs the normal development of larvae and has an effect on the weight of pupae, depending on the concentration used (100 or 10 ppm).     

The role of bacterial symbionts in suppressing the defence reaction in larval hemolymph of the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Biosd.)

Abstract

Spodoptera littoralis hemolymph exhibited a decrease in phenoloxidase activity during the first hour of exposure to alive or dead Xenorhabdus nematophilus and Photorhabdus luminescens even in the presence or absence of laminarin and α-chymotrypsin. Also, as the bacterial numbers in the hemolymph of the larvae of S. littoralis increased, the suppression of the enzyme, phenoloxidase, activity in vivo increased. On the other hand, in the in vitro incubation of the infected hemolymph with X. nematophilus for 30 min with laminarin, the decrease in phenoloxidase activity reached 92% in the infection with the highest dose (1 × 10¹⁰ cells/ml) live bacteria, and reached 100% at the same dose in the infection with live bacteria in the absence of laminarin. A two-fold decrease in enzyme activity was recorded in the case of injection of (1 × 10⁶ cells/ml) dead X. nematophilus and the absence of laminarin compared with injection of the same dose in the presence of laminarin. The same trend was also observed by the end of incubation of X. nematophilus-treated hemolymph without α-chymotrypsin. The decrease in phenoloxidase activity was highly significantly different in injection of dead P. luminescens and the absence of laminarin during incubation. In the case of injection of (1 × 10⁸ cells/ml) live P. luminescens a higher degree in the reduction of enzyme activity was recorded in the absence of α-chymotrypsin, where it reached to nearly a two-fold decrease. The results of these studies indicated that both X. nematophilus and P. luminescens alive or dead suppress the phenoloxidase activity in the presence or absence of both laminarin and α-chymotrypsin but, the suppression in absence of both during the in vitro incubation was highly comparable.     

Role of Challenger pesticide and plant extracts on some physiological parameters of the cotton leafworm,Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)

Fourth instar larvae of cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.), fed on castor bean leaves treated with sub-lethal concentrations of both alcohol and hexane extracts of Egyptian conyza and Challenger 36% SC insecticide as well to study their effects on mortality, food consumption and utilisation of food. The tested insecticides exhibited relatively high mortality in alcoholic extract of Egyptian conyza (5.0% concentration) followed by Challenger (1.0% concentration). Results showed a slight reduction in the consumption index for larvae treated with both alcoholic extract and Challenger at low concentrations, while hexane extract (5%) recorded significant increase. The approximate digestibility (AD) was reduced in all treatments of alcoholic extract and the relative growth rate insignificantly decreased at 5% concentration, whereas AD increased for larvae fed on Challenger 0.25% concentration. The lower concentration of alcoholic extract of conyza and all treatments of Challenger pesticides induced insignificant decrease in the efficiency of conversion of the ingested food, while hexane extract exhibited insignificant increase. Challenger at all tested concentrations achieved insignificant decrease in the efficiency of the conversion of digested food with respect to the control.     

Synthesis of soluble rubella virus spike proteins in two lepidopteran insect cell lines: Large scale production of the E1 protein

The two envelope glycoproteins of rubella virus (RV), El of 58 kDa and E2 of 42–47 kDa, were individually expressed in lepidopteran Spodoptera frugiperda as well as in Trichoplusia ni insect cells using baculovirus vectors. The authentic signal sequences of E1 and E2 were replaced with the honeybee melittin signal sequence, allowing efficient entrance into the secretory pathway of the insect cell. In addition, the hydrophobic transmembrane anchors at the carboxyl termini of E1 and E2 proteins were removed to enable secretion rather than maintenance in the cellular membranes. Synthesis of the recombinant proteins in the absence and presence of tunicamycin revealed that both E1 and E2 were glycosylated with apparent molecular weights of 52 kDa and 37 kDa, respectively. Recombinant E2 appeared to be partially secreted, whereas E1 was essentially found inside the infected insect cell. The E1 protein was produced in large scale using a 10−1 bioreactor and serum-free medium (SFM). Purification of the recombinant protein product was performed from cytoplasmic extracts by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by Concanavalin A affinity chromatography. This type of purified recombinant viral glycoproteins may be useful not only in diagnostic medicine or for immunization, but should enable studies designed to solve the structure of the virus particle.     

The effect of neem allelochemicals on nutritional physiology of larval Spodoptera litura

Neem allelochemicals azadirachtin, salannin, nimbinene and nimbin were administered to different larval instars of the tobacco armyworm, Spodoptera litura orally in artificial diet, topically or via injection. Nutritional analyses revealed strong antifeedant and growth regulatory effects of azadirachtin which were independent of each other. While salannin and nimbinene induced concentration dependent feeding deterrence only; nimbin was inactive to the 1000 ppm level against this insect species. One of the causes of the reduced growth rate of azadirachtin treated insects was due to an increase in the costs associated with growth. This was relative to a drastic reduction in the activity of gut trypsin. Salannin and nimbinene, however, did not interfere with the trypsin activity of the gut. These results and those from nutritional studies suggest that salannin and nimbinene have no toxicity mediated effects on S. litura larvae and antifeedant activity is a result of the effects on deterrent and other chemoreceptors. The fact that azadirachtin directly or indirectly inhibits the secretion of trypsin by the enzyme-secreting cells of the gut is discussed.     

Desensitization of fifth instar Spodoptera litura to azadirachtin and neem

The deterrence of azadirachtin, in its pure form and as a constituent of neem seed extract, to fifth instar Spodoptera litura (Fab.) larvae, was measured using cabbage, Brassica oleraceae (L.) var. capitata, leaf disc assays. Paired-choice assays, in which larvae could choose between feeding on a treated (1.3 ng azadirachtin per square cm leaf area) or an untreated leaf disc for 2 h, were conducted at 24 h intervals throughout the fifth instar. In addition, no-choice assays, in which larvae could feed on only one leaf disc (10 ng azadirachtin per square cm leaf area) for 1.5 h, were conducted consecutively over a six hour period at the beginning of the fifth instar. The effects of hunger and habituation on desensitization in our no-choice tests were partitioned. After repeated exposures, larvae became desensitized to pure azadirachtinal in both choice and no-choice tests, but did not desensitize to neem containing the same absolute amount of azadirachtin in choice tests. Hunger was responsible for approximately one third of the desensitization response in the no-choice tests. Sensitivity to azadirachtin was independent of age within the fifth instar.