Predispersal seed predation in native leguminous shrubs and trees in savannas of southern Botswana

Seed predation by insects in the seed-crop of nine Acacia species, Dichrostachys cinerea , and Peltophorum africanum was examined in various tree savannas in Botswana. The degree of infestation varied strongly between and within species from 0% ( P. africanum ) to more than 80% ( A. hebeclada, D. cinerea ). Whereas in all Acacia species only one phytophagous hymenopteran ( Oedaule sp.) was present, the number of bruchid species varied between one ( Bruchidius sahlbergi on A. hebecluda, B. uberatus on A. nilotica ) and eight species ( Bruchidius div. spec., Caryedon sp., Spermophagus rufonotutus on A. tortilis ).
The life history of B. sahlbergi was studied in detail and lasted at least 100 days from egg to adult beetle. The life-span of adult beetles may extend to a further 57 days.

Résumé

Des observations ont été réalisées sur les dégâts d'insects dans les graines de neuf espèces d' Acacia , de Dichrostachys cinerea et de Peltophorum africanum dans les savanes arborées du Botswana. Le taux d'infestation varie fortement aussi bien entre les espèces que parmi les espèces de 0% ( P. africanum) à plus de 80% ( A. hebeclada, C. cinerea ). Alors que toutes les especes d' Acacia n'héberge qu'un seul Hyménoptère phytophage ( Oedaule sp.), le nombre d'espèces de Bruchidae observées varie de une ( Bruchidius sahlbergi sur A. hebeclada, B. uberatus sur A. nilotica) à huit ( Bruchidius div. spec., Caryedon sp., Spermophagus rufonotatus sur A. tortilis ).
Le cycle de développement de B. sahlbergi a étéétudié et dure au moins une certaine de jours. La longévité des adultes de cette espèce peut atteindre 57 jours.     

A new species of Bruchidius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) from Albizia in Northern Thailand and a review of Bruchidius group 5

A new species, Bruchidius paicus (Insecta, Coleoptera) reared from the seeds of a leguminous tree, Albizia lebbeck (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae: Ingeae), is described from Northern Thailand. Inspection of genital and external morphological traits of B. paicus revealed that the new species belongs to Bruchidius Group 5 (sensu ). The definition of Group 5 is reviewed based on both external and genital morphology. Further comparison of the group to molecular Clade I of Bruchidius (sensu ) indicates the two groups correspond to each other.     

决明查尔酮合成酶基因的克隆及序列分析

以决明(Cassia tora)为实验材料,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术,从决明嫩叶中克隆出查尔酮合成酶(Chal-one synthase,CHS)基因,其cDNA全长为1 459 bp,编码一个由390个氨基酸残基组成的多肽.氨基酸序列分析表明,决明CHS基因的氨基酸序列中含有44.61%的中性疏水氨基酸,29.74%的中性亲水氨基酸,12.56%的酸性氨基酸和13.O8%的碱性氨基酸.决明CHS基因的氨基酸序列中具有CHS家族酶系的氨基酸保守残基,包括结合底物CoA的结合残基及催化聚酮合成的催化残基,表明其可能参与聚酮化合物的合成.决明与其它植物CHS的氨基酸序列的进化分析表明,其与同为豆科决明属的翼叶决明(Cassia alata)的同源性较近,并且CHS家族可以分为CHS亚家族与非CHS亚家族.将得到的序列提交GenBank,登录号为EU430077.     

Phylogeny and host-specificity of European seed beetles (Coleoptera, Bruchidae), new insights from molecular and ecological data

We used partial sequences of three mitochondrial genes (12S rRNA, cytochrome b, and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) to reconstruct the phylogeny of European seed beetles (Bruchidae) belonging to the genera Bruchus Linnaeus and Bruchidius Schilsky. Adult beetles examined in this study were obtained from larvae bred from seeds directly collected in the field. Parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference were used to infer phylogenetic relationships among species. Both genera, Bruchidius and Bruchus, formed monophyletic groups in all analyses. Our results were partially in discrepancy with existing taxonomic groups (Borowiec, 1987). Critical analysis of relationships among taxa, and exhaustive review of host-plants data highlight the very high level of specialization of these seed beetles. Phylogenetically related insects were associated with host-plants belonging to the same botanical tribes.     

A new species Megabruchidius sophorae (Coleoptera, Bruchidae), feeding on seeds of Styphnolobium (Fabaceae) new to Bruchidae

A new species Megabruchidiussophorae (Insecta, Coleoptera) is described from Japan (Honshu). The larval host of this bruchid is the seeds of the tree legume 'enju', or chinese scholar tree, Styphnolobium japonicum (a senior synonym of Sophora japonica), which is a new host genus to Bruchidae. Styphnolobium is positioned basally in molecular phylogeny of the leguminous subfamily Papilionoideae. Other members of Megabruchidius are known to feed on Gleditsia, the tree legumes that belong to the most ancestral subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Therefore, Megabruchidius utilizes ancestral groups of legumes as its host plants. Megabruchidius has been inferred to be ancestral, based on its behavior. The character state of the host for this third Megabruchidius species supports that the genus is ancestral, at least in the subfamily Bruchinae. We also reviewed the genera closely related to Megabruchidius, i.e., Bruchidius and Sulcobruchus in Bruchidini, and wrote a key to the species in the genus Megabruchidius.     

New invasive bruchine species (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) in the fauna of Romania,with a review on their distribution and biology

Four allochthonous seed beetles, associated with Gleditsia triacanthos L., Albizia julibrissin Durraz. and Cercis siliquastrum L., are reported from Romania for the first time. They are Megabruchidius dorsalis (Fåhraeus, 1839), M. tonkineus (Pic, 1914), Bruchidius terrenus (Sharp, 1886) and B. siliquastri Delobel, 2007 respectively. Their distribution (native, in Europe and Romania) is reviewed. Notes on biology are provided and morphological characters for the identification of these species are discussed. We also provide information about the parasitoid assemblages associated with these seed beetles, three of the parasitoid–host relationships being reported here for the first time.     

Native-range research assists risk analysis for non-targets in weed biological control: the cautionary tale of the broom seed beetle

Abstract  This case study considers the broom seed beetle, Bruchidius villosus , a narrowly oligophagous species within the Fabaceae, subtribe Genistinae for which in-depth native-range studies have been vital to help understand the likely field host specificity following release. Bruchidius villosus has been used in three countries as a classical biological control agent against Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius . Original host-specificity testing of a UK population, where this species had only been observed developing on C. scoparius , suggested this population was specific to the target. The beetle was released in New Zealand. Following release, however, the agent exhibited a broader host range than in the tests, but not a broader host range than that of the species as a whole. Subsequent studies in the native range using surveys and field testing have helped to show why B. villosus populations exhibit higher specificity in the native range than would be expected from the species' host range. This case is used to illustrate the contribution native-range studies can make to science-based risk analysis of biological control agents against weeds. By doing so, they also highlight the associated risks of ignoring native-range studies and adopting of a 'grab-and-run' approach to obtaining classical biological control agents.     

广东两种决明属（Cassia）植物根瘤菌的生物学特性

调查了广东地区１０种Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物结瘤状况,仅山扁豆（Ｃ．ｍｉｍｏｓｏｉｄｅｓ）和圆叶决明（Ｃ．ｒｏｔｕｎｄｉｆｏｌｉａ）结瘤,从山扁豆和圆叶决明各分离到１株根瘤菌并鉴定为慢生型．在所试的１０种Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物中,２株Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物根瘤菌除了与山扁豆和圆叶决明结瘤外,均不与其余８种Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物结瘤;同样,３株蝶形花科植物根瘤菌和３株含羞草科植物根瘤菌除了与山扁豆和圆叶决明结瘤外,也均不与其余８种Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物结瘤．此外,２株Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物根瘤菌均能与所试５种蝶形花科和４种含羞草科植物结瘤．２株Ｃａｓｓｉａ植物根瘤菌在碳源利用、耐盐性、耐酸碱度及５种酶的活性等特性方面,与３株蝶形花科植物根瘤菌和３株含羞草科植物根瘤菌极为相似．     

Chromosomes of seven species of Bruchidae (Coleoptera) from North India

Chromosomes have been studied in seven species of bruchids belonging to the subfamilies Bruchinae and Amblycerinae. The diploid number of chromosomes is twenty in Bruchidius multilineolatus (Pic.), B. aureus Arora, B. saundersi (Jek.) and Conicobruchus indicus (Pic.); Bruchus pisorum L. and Specularius maindroni (Pic.) possess a diploid number of twenty-two whereas Spermophagus latescenta Arora has a diploid number of thirty-two. The male sex chromosome mechanism, however, is uniformly Xy_p in all these species. The usual diplotene and diakinesis stages are not discrete in Bruchidius multilineolatus and Specularius maindroni. Instead, a diffuse stage is observed. A sticky anaphase bridge has also been observed in some cells of Bruchidius aureus.     

Sulfated Purine Alkaloid Glycosides from the Pupal Case Built by the Bruchid Beetle Bruchidius dorsalis Inside the Seed of Gleditsia japonica

Three new sulfated isoguanine alkaloid glycosides, designated as saikachinoside A monosulfate ( 1 ), saikachinoside A disulfate ( 2 ), and locustoside B disulfate ( 3 ), have been isolated from the pupal case of the wild bruchid seed beetle Bruchidius dorsalis (Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) infesting the seed of Gleditsia japonica Miq . (Fabaceae). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods and the inhibitory activity of 2 and 3 against acid phosphatase was evaluated.     

Note on the nomenclature of Cassieae (Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae) in Malaysia

As a precursor for the treatment of Caesalpiniaceae in Flora Malesiana the following new combinations are proposed: Cassia javanica ssp. pubiflora stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. agnes stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. microcalyx stat. nov. C. javanica ssp. renigera stat. nov., C. javanica ssp. bartonii stat. nov., Senna divaricata comb. nov., Chamae-christa pumila comb. nov. and Chamaechrista mindanaensis comb. nov.     

Evolutionary aspects of host plant specialisation – a study on bruchids (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

We have studied the relationship of bruchids and their legume hosts by extensive field sampling throughout Hungary over 17 years and by rearing the beetles from the samples in the laboratory. The value of the system lies in the accuracy of host affiliations. A total of 138 species and subspecies of plants were sampled, representing approximately 87% of the Leguminosae in Hungary. Only 51 legume species (37.0%) harboured bruchids (12 Bruchus spp. and 15 Bruchidius spp). Bruchids occurred in 38.3% of the host plant samples. Thirty-seven plant species congeneric with bruchid host species were unoccupied by bruchids.
The degree of host specificity ranged from monophagy (at least ecological monophagy) to oligophagy. On the basis of presence/absence data we tested the null hypothesis assuming that plant taxa and seed consuming bruchid species form congruent phyletic relations at the species level. We argue that the case for coevolution between the beetles and their hosts is weak. A comparison of the available taxonomic relationships (and presumed phylogenies) best fits a case of sequential evolution, with stronger phylogenetic conservatism in Bruchus species than in Bruchidius species. Bruchid and host plant taxa showed rough congruence only at the tribe level. We suggest that host shifts are best explained by the changes in the bruchids' chemosensory system that determines the females' host selection behaviour.     

SOME ASPECTS OF VASCULAR DIFFERENTIATION IN ROOTS OF CASSIA

Hayat, Mohammed Arif (North Dakota State U., Fargo), and Charles Heimsch. Some aspects of vascular differentiation in roots of Cassia. Amer. Jour. Bot. 50(10): 965–971. Illus. 1963.—Vascular development, with emphasis on the differentiation of the protophloem, was studied in tips of primary roots of 18 species of Cassia. Variations in levels of protophloem sieve tube maturation were observed among roots of different species as well as among those of different length in the same species. In general, protophloem matured at greater distances from the apex in roots with the larger diameters. Compared with woody species, herbaceous species exhibited greater uniformity in levels of protophloem maturation, and this was correlated with greater uniformity in root diameter. Roots were either triarch or tetrarch. In some species with tetrarch roots, a change to a triarch pattern occurred during early growth. Structural changes in the differentiating root tip which involve the loss of a xylem arm and subsequent fusion of phloem strands are described.     

Endophytic Phomopsis species: host range and implications for diversity estimates

Foliar endophyte assemblages of teak trees growing in dry deciduous and moist deciduous forests of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve were compared. A species of Phomopsis dominated the endophyte assemblages of teak, irrespective of the location of the host trees. Internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis of 11 different Phomopsis isolates (ten from teak and one from Cassia fistula) showed that they fall into two groups, which are separated by a relatively long branch that is strongly supported. The results showed that this fungus is not host restricted and that it continues to survive as a saprotroph in teak leaf, possibly by exploiting senescent leaves as well as the litter. Although the endophyte assemblage of a teak tree growing about 500 km from the forests was also dominated by a Phomopsis sp., it separated into a different group based on internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis. Our results with an endophytic Phomopsis sp. reinforce the earlier conclusions reached by others for pathogenic Phomopsis sp., i.e., that this fungus is not host specific, and the species concept of Phomopsis needs to be redefined.     

五种豆科药用植物种子超低温保存技术研究

以豆科药用植物降香檀、决明、含羞草、灰毛豆和猪屎豆的成熟种子为材料,探讨含水量对其发芽率的影响,以及超低温冷冻方式对种子超低温保存的影响。结果表明,降香檀、决明、猪屎豆和灰毛豆种子发芽率均随含水量的下降而从80%左右降至20%以下,而含羞草种子含水量低于10%时,其发芽率仍在75%以上。经超低温冷冻后,五种豆科药用植物种子发芽率较对照组均有显著差异;适宜的含水量下,种子经过超低温冷冻后其发芽率与对照组差异不显著,甚至高于对照组。三种冷冻方法中,玻璃化冷冻法更适合降香檀种子的超低温保存,缓慢冷冻法更适合猪屎豆种子的超低温保存,快速冷冻法适合于决明种子、灰毛豆种子和含羞草种子的超低温保存。由此可知,液氮超低温冷冻法保存降香檀等五种豆科药用植物种子是可行的。     

培养条件对双荚决明愈伤组织诱导的影响

以双荚决明试管苗茎段作外植体,进行光照、温度和pH值等不同培养条件的比较试验。结果表明,在温度26 ℃、12 h/d光照和12 h/d黑暗相间处理、pH 5.3的培养条件下,双荚决明愈伤组织诱导率最高,且芽丛苗的长势最佳。     

Diverse bacteria isolated from root nodules of Phaseolus vulgaris and species within the genera Campylotropis and Cassia grown in China

Eighty bacterial isolates from root nodules of the leguminous plants Phaseolus vulgaris, Campylotropis spp. and Cassia spp. grown in China were classified into five groups by phenotypic analyses, SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins, PCR-based 16S rRNA gene restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism and sequencing. Thirty-three isolates from the three plant genera were identified as Agrobacterium tumefaciens because they are closely related to the type strain of A. tumefaciens. Fourteen isolates from P. vulgaris grown in Yunnan and Inner Mongolia were classified as R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli based on their close relationship with the type strain in numerical taxonomy and in 16S rDNA phylogeny. Twenty-seven isolates from Campylotropis delavayi, P. vulgaris and four species of Cassia grown in the central zones of China were classified into three groups within the genus Bradyrhizobium. One of these three groups could be defined as Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Our results demonstrated that P. vulgaris and the species of Campylotropis and Cassia could form nodules with diverse rhizobia in Chinese soils, including novel lineages associated with P. vulgaris. These results also offered information about the convergent evolution between rhizobia and legumes since the rhizobial populations associated with P. vulgaris in Chinese soils were completely different from those in Mexico, the original cite of this plant. Some rhizobial species could be found in all of the three leguminous genera.     

Activity of Cassia auriculata leaf extract in rats with alcoholic liver injury

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of Cassia auriculata leaf extract on tissue lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in experimental hepatotoxicity. Administering ethanol to rats for 60 days resulted in significantly elevated levels of serum total bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as compared with those of the experimental control rats. Significantly elevated levels of tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxides and lowered activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and reduced glutathione (GSH) were also observed on alcohol treatment as compared with those of experimental control rats. Concentration of serum non-enzymic antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C were also significantly lowered on alcohol supplementation. Treatment with Cassia auriculata leaf extract at a dose of 250 mg kg(-1) body weight and 500 mg kg(-1) body weight to rats administered alcohol, lowered the levels of TBARS and hydroperoxides and elevated the activities of SOD and CAT and the levels of reduced GSH in the liver, brain, kidney and intestine significantly compared to unsupplemented alcohol treated rats. Cassia auriculata leaf extract treatment restored the serum vitamin E, and vitamin C levels also to near those of the experimental control animals. Our data indicate that supplementation with Cassia auriculata leaf extract can offer protection against free radical mediated oxidative stress in experimental hepatotoxicity. In addition, histopathological studies of the liver and brain confirmed the beneficial role of Cassia auriculata leaf extract.     

Isolation, Purification, and Identification of 2-(p-Hydroxyphenoxy)-5, 7-Dihydroxychromone: A Fungal-Induced Phytoalexin from Cassia obtusifolia

A single phytoalexin was isolated and purified from 12- to 14-day-old leaves of Cassia obtusifolia L. inoculated with Alternaria cassiae Jurair & Khan. The structure was elucidated by ¹H- and ¹³C-nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry as 2-(p-hydroxyphenoxy)-5,7-dihydroxychromone. The compound was shown to be derived in part from phenylalanine. Radial growth of A. cassiae was inhibited 50% by the compound at 0.3 millimolar. This moderate toxicity is compensated for by the relatively high levels (3 millimolar) accumulated. Phenoxychromones have been previously reported only as constitutive secondary metabolites in Artemisia capillaris Thunb., in which their function is unknown.     

Effect of root exudates and extracts on rhizosphere fungi

Summary The effects of root exudates and extracts of Cassia tora L. and Crotalaria medicaginea Lamk., on some dominant rhizosphere fungi isolated from the plants were studied. Root extracts induced a high degree of stimulation in rate of growth of a majority of the fungi tested. Root exudates caused only a marginal effect which was positive on all the fungi except Trichoderma lignorum which was inhibited by the root exudate of C. medicaginea.