Relationships between rhizoplane and rhizosphere bacteria and verticillium wilt resistance in potato

Six cultivars and breeding lines of potato (Solanum tuberosum) differing in susceptibility to verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae were studied with respect to quantitative and qualitative differences in the bacterial flora of their soil and rhizosphere-rhizoplane. Although, no association was observed between the types of bacteria that inhabited the soil or roots of wilt resistant and susceptible cultivars, quantitative differences were evident. These differences provide the first direct evidence that potato genotypes can influence bacterial populations. Bacterial populations were 9–25-fold higher on roots than in the adjacent soil. As the plants aged, the total number of rootcolonizing bacteria increased between 15 and 245%. Pseudomonas spp. were the most abundant microbes in the soil and rhizosphere-rhizoplane. The bacteria antagonistic to V. dahliae in vitro were identified as members of the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, and Gluconobacter. A statistically significant trend was evident toward the association of antagonistic bacteria with the more resistant potato cultivars.     

不同寄主植物对山楂叶螨生长发育和繁殖的影响

室内采用叶碟饲养的方法研究了苹果、桃、李、樱桃和杏等不同果树对山楂叶螨Tetrancychusvienensis生长发育和繁殖的影响。结果表明,在李树上山楂叶螨的发育历期短、生殖力强、存活率高,rm值大,而在樱桃和杏树上该螨的发育历期长、生殖力弱、存活率低、rm值小。寄主转换试验结果表明,当山楂叶螨由苹果转移至樱桃和杏树时,其生长发育的历期显著延长,rm值大幅度降低;而由苹果转移至桃树和李树时,其生长发育的历期虽也有所延长,但差异不显著,rm值则明显降低。表明山楂叶螨对新寄主的适应因不同寄主而异,在桃和李上经历1代后即可适应,而在杏和樱桃上经历2代后才能适应新的寄主。     

花莲种质资源的遗传多样性及品种间亲缘关系的探讨

利用17个随机引物对来自中国和美国的29份花莲种质资源材料进行了RAPD分析。扩增形成207条谱带,多态带122条,多态率为58．94％。说明中国花莲具有较丰富的遗传多样性。结果还显示：（1）花莲种质资源可被分为2个品种群：品种群Ⅰ以大花型为主,少量小花型。品种群Ⅰ以中小型花为主。又在欧氏遗传距离11．01处分为7个亚品种群。（2）美洲黄莲与中国莲的花莲之间在DNA水平上没有显著差异,与中小型花关系更近。     

山杏的种子雨及鼠类的捕食作用

山杏(Prunus armeniaca)是一种灌木状小乔木,在北京山区较为贫瘠、干旱的阳坡地带广泛分布。于2002年7月和2003年7～9月,采用种子收集筐估计了山杏种子的产量、种子雨的动态变化过程;在2003年的研究中,把收集筐中所获得的种子转入扣网之中以排除鸟类的影响,并设置了地表对照样方,调查和比较了扣网内和对照样方中、扣网和对照样方之间山杏种子被取食、搬离的动态变化及其差异性。研究表明,山杏种子的下落高峰发生于7月下旬至8月上旬,败育种子的下落早于完好种子且数量极少;在扣网内和对照样方中,被取食和被搬运的种子数量之间存在显著性差异,在扣网和对照样方之间．被取食和被搬运的种子数量的差异均未达到显著性水平;鼠类是种子雨期间取食山杏种子的主要动物．鸟类的作用可以忽略。     

Effects of NaCl stress on germination, antioxidant responses, and proline content in two rice cultivars

We investigated the physiological and biochemical bases for salt tolerance in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars — relatively salt-tolerant ‘Dongjin’ and salt-sensitive ‘Kumnam’. Salinized hydroponic cultures were studied at the germination and seedling stages. NaCI inhibited germination more severely in ‘Kumnam’ than in ‘Dongjin’. Increasing the salt concentration also deterred growth to a larger extent in the former. Moreover, the leaves of ‘Kumnam’ exhibited greater increases in lipid peroxidation and Na⁺ accumulation than those of ‘Dongjin’ under stress. The activities of constitutive and salt-induced superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) and ascorbate peroxidase (AP, EC 1.11.1.11) were also higher in ‘Kumnam’, while only catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity was slightly higher in stressed plants of ‘Dongjin’. The positive correlation between leaf proline levels and NaCI concentration was more evident in ‘Kumnam’. However, ‘Dongjin’ seeds, which had higher germinability in the presence of NaCI, also contained more proline. These results suggest that the higher salt tolerance in ‘Dongjin’ seedlings could be ascribed to their lower NaCI accumulations in the leaves. This presumably is due to reductions in the uptake or transport rates of saline ions to the shoots from the roots. Finally, we believe that the higher germination rate by ‘Dongjin’ is caused by its higher seed proline content.     

Suppression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity elicited in date palm by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis hyphal wall elicitor

The inoculation of the seedling roots of the resistant (Bousthami Noir) and susceptible (Jihel) date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) cultivars by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis induced an increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity. The response of the PAL activity in the resistant cultivar was faster and higher than in the susceptible one. However, the elicitation of the seedlings with the hyphal wall elicitor (HWE) of the pathogen induced identical PAL activity in both cultivars. In the resistant cultivar, the the PAL activity elicited with the HWE was not influenced by the addition of the fungal culture filtrate (FCF) whereas it was suppressed in the susceptible cultivar. This FCF suppressor effect was dose-dependent, not influenced by sodium periodate, whereas it was strongly reduced by the heat (121 °C for 45 min) and pronase E. These results show that differential induction of the defence mechanisms in both cultivars was not related to differences in the induction of the PAL activity, but to the suppression of its elicitation in the susceptible cultivar.     

Sensory evaluation of fruit quality and nutritional composition of 20 breadfruit (Artocarpus, Moraceae) cultivars

Twenty breadfruit cultivars growing in afield genebank at Kahanu Garden, National Tropical Botanical Garden, Hana, Maui, Hawaii, were evaluated for sensory attributes and nutrient composition. A taste panel scored eight flavor/aroma attributes, five textural attributes, and color. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) in aroma, visual texture, flavor intensity, sweetness, starchiness, moistness, stringiness, firmness, and color. The greatest differences were in color and texture. Nutrient analyses showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) for energy, carbohydrates, ash, crude protein, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, copper, and zinc. Considering the versatility of breadfruit as a food, its ease of production, and its nutritional value, the numerous good quality flavorful cultivars available should be more widely grown for sustainable agriculture and food security.     

Simultaneous analysis of artemisinin and flavonoids of several extracts of Artemisia annua L. obtained from a commercial sample and a selected cultivar

Artemisia annua L. (Qinghao) is a promising and potent antimalarial herbal drug. This activity has been ascribed to its component artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is very effective against drug-resistant Plasmodium species with a low toxicity. Our studies indicate that several flavonoids of A. annua can promote and enhance the reaction of artemisinin with hemin. These data are in good agreement with previous investigations on the in vitro potentiation of antimalarial activity of artemisinin by such flavonoids. As a consequence, in view of a possible use of the phytocomplex rather than pure artemisinin, an HPLC/DAD/MS method is proposed for the simultaneous detection and quantification of both flavonoids and artemisinin. Different extracts, obtained from two different herbal drugs, a commercial sample and a selected cultivar, were analyzed in order to determine which solvents provide the best yields of both artemisinin and flavonoids. Qualitative and quantitative results obtained using an HPLC method are described, which will be useful for developing highly effective herbal drug preparations.     

Natural parasitism of the diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lep.: Plutellidae) by a larval parasitoid wasp,Diadegma anurum on different cauliflower cultivars

The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae), is the most serious pest of cauliflower fields in central Iran and its control is primarily based on pesticide sprays. Over the past years, a number of new pesticide compounds were introduced onto the market and some of them may cause adverse effects on natural populations of parasitoids associated with DBM. Excessive use of insecticides against the pest did not produce satisfactory results but has caused concerns about environmental pollution and increased pest resistance to chemicals. This research aims to study natural parasitism of pest on different cauliflower cultivars in the fields of south of Tehran. Dominant species of parasitoids include Diadegma anurum, Cotesia plutellae and Oomyzus sokolowskii. The highest parasitism rate was observed by D. anurum that was recorded on Buris cultivar (19.92?±?1.06) and White cloud cultivar (16.20?±?1.49) and the lowest parasitism rate was observed on Snow crown cultivar (3.42) and SG cultivar (5.00) during the season.     

Thymol and acibenzolar-s-methyl reduce incidence and severity of bacterial wilt of tomato caused by race I biovar III (R1B3) strain of Ralstonia solanacearum in Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, most strains of Ralstonia solanacearum, the causative agent of tomato bacterial wilt disease; belong to race 1 biovar III (RIB3). Control strategies to assuage its destructive effect are highly necessary. A randomised complete-block design (RCBD) was used for the experiment. Thymol (0.7%) and Acibenzolar-s-methyl (ASM, 30 and 15?µg/ml) were used. Results indicated that the combination of thymol and ASM recorded the highest numbers of days for fruiting in Beske which were 74 and 75 while 59 and 60?days were recorded for UC82-B in both early and late seasons, respectively. When thymol and/or ASM were applied, bacterial wilt disease incidence and disease severity were significantly reduced and this was translated to a significant yield increase when compared with the untreated control plots. The results suggested that the combined application of thymol and ASM could be advantageous to tomato-growing farmers where R. solanacearum is prevalent.