Temporal Dynamics of Powdery Mildew (Oidium neolycopersici) and its Effects on the Host Growth Dynamics of Tomato

Controlled glasshouse experiments were conducted to investigate the temporal progress of powdery mildew and its effects on host dynamics of tomato, without and with one fungicide application. Healthy tomato transplants (5‐ to 6‐week old) were artificially inoculated with powdery mildew, and disease progress as well as host growth were monitored in both fungicide sprayed and unsprayed treatments and compared with non‐inoculated plants. Actual disease severity on a plant basis increased in unsprayed plants reaching maximum severity in the proportionate range of 0.53–0.83. One fungicide spray significantly reduced the maximum disease severity by two‐ to fourfolds. Despite adjustments for defoliation, declines in the proportion of disease severity between successive assessments were evident. Whereas the estimated growth rates of diseased plants were significantly lower than that of healthy plants, no significant differences were observed in the maximum leaf area formed of inoculated and non‐inoculated plants. A considerable effect of the powdery mildew epidemics was manifested through hastened shrivelling and defoliation of diseased leaves within the tomato canopy. An average of 18–29% and 40–52% of leaves had abscised from the plant canopy at the last date of assessment in sprayed and non‐sprayed plants, respectively. Accordingly, defoliation accounted for 14–33.3% and 58.3–63.1% losses in leaf area of sprayed and non‐sprayed plants, respectively. Duration of healthy leaf area and yield of inoculated plants were also significantly reduced by powdery mildew epidemics.     

The leaf, inner bark and latex cyanide potential of Hevea brasiliensis: Evidence for involvement of cyanogenic glucosides in rubber yield

The latex of Hevea brasiliensis, expelled upon bark tapping, is the cytoplasm of anastomosed latex cells in the inner bark of the rubber tree. Latex regeneration between two tappings is one of the major limiting factors of rubber yield. Hevea species contain high amounts of cyanogenic glucosides from which cyanide is released when the plant is damaged providing an efficient defense mechanism against herbivores. In H. brasiliensis, the cyanogenic glucosides mainly consist of the monoglucoside linamarin (synthesized in the leaves), and its diglucoside transport-form, linustatin. Variations in leaf cyanide potential (CNp) were studied using various parameters. Results showed that the younger the leaf, the higher the CNp. Leaf CNp greatly decreased when leaves were directly exposed to sunlight. These results allowed us to determine the best leaf sampling conditions for the comparison of leaf CNp. Under these conditions, leaf CNp was found to vary from less than 25 mM to more than 60 mM. The rubber clones containing the highest leaf CNp were those with the highest yield potential. In mature virgin trees, the CNp of the trunk inner bark was shown to be proportional to leaf CNp and to decrease on tapping. However, the latex itself exhibited very low (if any) CNp, while harboring all the enzymes (β-d-diglucosidase, linamarase and β-cyanoalanine synthase) necessary to metabolize cyanogenic glucosides to generate non-cyanogenic compounds, such as asparagine. This suggests that in the rubber tree bark, cyanogenic glucosides may be a source of buffering nitrogen and glucose, thereby contributing to latex regeneration/production.     

Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses of Oidium heveae, a powdery mildew of rubber tree

Powdery mildew of rubber tree caused by Oidium heveae is an important disease of rubber plantations worldwide. Identification and classification of this fungus is still uncertain because there is no authoritative report of its morphology and no record of its teleomorphic stage. In this study, we compared five specimens of the rubber powdery mildew fungus collected in Malaysia, Thailand, and Brazil based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Morphological results showed that the fungus on rubber tree belongs to Oidium subgen. Pseudoidium. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the large subunit rRNA gene (28S rDNA) were conducted to determine the relationships of the rubber powdery mildew fungus and to link this anamorphic fungus with its allied teleomorph. The results showed that the rDNA sequences of the two specimens from Malaysia were identical to a specimen from Thailand, whereas they differed by three bases from the two Brazilian isolates: one nucleotide position in the ITS2 and two positions in the 28S sequences. The ITS sequences of the two Brazilian isolates were identical to sequences of Erysiphe sp. on Quercus phillyraeoides collected in Japan, although the 28S sequences differed at one base from sequences of this fungus. Phylogenetic trees of both rDNA regions constructed by the distance and parsimony methods showed that the rubber powdery mildew fungus grouped with Erysiphe sp. on Q. phillyraeoides with 100% bootstrap support. Comparisons of the anamorph of two isolates of Erysiphe sp. from Q. phillyraeoides with the rubber mildew did not reveal any obvious differences between the two powdery mildew taxa, which suggests that O. heveae may be an anamorph of Erysiphe sp. on Q. phillyraeoides. Cross-inoculation tests are required to substantiate this conclusion.     

Photosynthate allocation and productivity of latex vessels inHevea brasiliensis

Manipulations of production systems in rubber tree which were intended to improve sucrose translocation in tapped bark resulted in an increase of latex sucrose and of latex production and reduced the incidence of nonyielding laticiferous tissue. This was achieved by shortening the tapping cut from full to half spiral, by changing the descending direction into an ascending mode of tapping or by annual change-over of tapping panel allowing for a longer time the regeneration of bark removed above the location of the cut. The increase of latex yield did not result in a significant decrease in the growth of trees over a period of three years. Clonal differences in nonyielding bark appeared to be related to differences in sucrose depletion by tapping. In clone PB 235 which exhibited low latex sucrose, a reduction of tapping frequency resulted in an increase in sucrose level and in a decrease of bark “dryness” tending to an increase in total yield. The tapping manipulations examined did not affect latex flow characteristics such as the plugging index of latex vessels and the bursting index of lutoids. The results stress the importance of photosynthate allocation for the physiology of laticiferous system productivity and indicate the possibilities of improving assimilate economy in rubber trees. On mission as export of the International Atomic Energy Agency.     

Ethephon Increases Rubber Tree Latex Yield by Regulating Aquaporins and Alleviating the Tapping-Induced Local Increase in Latex Total Solid Content

The concentration of phloem solute generally falls from leaves to roots. However, a local increase in latex total solid content (LILTSC) was identified near the tapping cut of rubber trees. To understand the mechanism of ethephon-stimulated latex yield, the formation and ethephon (an ethylene releaser) alleviation of the LILTSC near the tapping cut were examined. It was found that the LILTSC near the tapping cut of a tapped rubber tree was caused by the tapping-accelerated rubber biosynthesis which began following the first tapping and became significant after the fourth tapping. Ethephon stimulation markedly reduced the LILTSC. The latex yield change pattern upon ethephon stimulation was associated with the kinetic change of LILTSC and the decomposition dynamic of ethephon into ethylene. Once the LILTSC was reduced by ethylene release upon ethephon stimulation, the latex yield increased; however, when the ethylene release upon ethephon stimulation receded, the LILTSC was restored and the effect of ethephon stimulation dissipated. The reduction of LILTSC by ethephon stimulation could be ascribed to the translocation property of ethylene in plants and its regulation of aquaporins. Because maximum ethylene release upon tapping-cut-ethephon-application occured close to the tapping cut, the aquaporins were more up-regulated in this region, leading to a reduction of the LILTSC and an increase in latex yield. All these results suggest that the LILTSC near the tapping cut was caused by tapping; the ethephon-induced aquaporin up-regulation and LILTSC reduction are involved in the mechanism of ethephon-promoted latex yield.     

Factors Influencing Tree Phenology in Taï National Park,Côte d'Ivoire1

Entrained phenology patterns of tropical trees are expected to be sensitive to short‐term fluctuations in typical rainfall and temperature. We examined 47 mo of data on the flowering, fruiting, and new leaf phenology for 797 trees from 38 species in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. We determined the timing of the phenology cycles in relation to seasonal rainfall, temperature, and solar radiation. Regression analysis was used to examine how variations in rainfall and temperature influenced deviations in the peaks and troughs of phenology cycles. We also investigated whether populations that fruit during periods of community‐wide fruit scarcity were those populations with relatively long‐ or short‐fruiting duration. Flower, fruit, and leaf‐flushing phenophases all exhibited 12‐mo cycles. The broad peak in flowering began with the northward zenithal passing in April and ended with the southward zenithal passing in September. Fruiting peaks occurred in the long dry season, and leaf flushing peaked in the long dry season but continued into the wet season. Deviations from phenology cycles were largely attributable to short‐term fluctuations in rainfall and/or temperature. Fruiting durations of species were related to the mean diameter at breast height. Species with long‐ and short‐fruiting durations contributed equally to fruit abundance during periods of community‐wide fruit scarcity.     

气候变化背景下橡胶树物候研究进展

橡胶树(Heveabrasiliensis)是广布于热带地区的经济林木，是战略物资天然橡胶的主要来源，其物候学的研究对胶园生产管理和评估热带地区植被对全球气候变化的响应方面具有重要意义。早期的物候研究主要服务于苗木繁育、割胶规划和抗逆栽培等生产应用；利用遥感监测植被物候日趋成熟，已广泛应用于橡胶树并成为主流的物候监测方法；橡胶树物候具有明显的时空异质性，对气候变化的响应较为复杂，其中温度和降水是关键影响因子，同时内因(品系、基因和树龄等)和外因(种植密度、地理位置和农业措施等)也共同影响了其物候。为更好服务天然橡胶产业的可持续发展和热区气候变化科学研究，未来的橡胶树物候研究应重点关注多源遥感数据的协同重建、物候指标提取算法的普适化和遥感预测模型的精准化。该文系统梳理了橡胶树物候的监测方法、服务价值、时空格局，提出了存在问题及未来研究方向。     

橡胶树热激蛋白HbHSP90.8-1基因的克隆与功能分析

白粉病是橡胶树生长发育过程中主要叶部病害之一。热激蛋白90(HSP90)分子伴侣在植物逆境胁迫抗性中起着重要作用。为研究HSP90家族成员结构及其在橡胶树抗白粉病中的功能,利用PCR技术从橡胶树品种热研73397叶片中克隆HbHSP90.8-1并采用生物信息学等技术对其结构和功能进行分析。结果表明,HbHSP90.8-1 cDNA序列全长2 844 bp,开放阅读框（ORF）2 454 bp,编码817个氨基酸。HbHSP90.8-1编码一个有信号肽、无跨膜结构且定位预测在内质网上的稳定亲水蛋白,存在HSP90 superfamily和HATPase superfamily结构域。系统进化分析结果表明橡胶树HbHSP90.8-1与木薯MeHSP90的亲缘关系最近,与麻风树JcHSP90聚为一类。通过qRT-PCR分析结果表明HbHSP90.8-1在橡胶树不同组织中均有表达,其在胶乳中的表达量最高;HbHSP90.8-1基因在白粉菌侵染、H2O2、ABA和ETH处理叶片中,表达量均呈现显著上调趋势;在MeJA和SA激素处理下,HbHSP90.8-1表达量呈现下调的趋势。说明HbHSP90...     

Climate and natural production of rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) in Xishuangbanna,southern part of Yunnan province,China

According to the author's and his collaborators' investigations, the climate influences the growth of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) in Xishuangbanna, the southern part of Yunnan Province, China, in at least four aspects: (1) The yield of latex per tapping and the final yield of dry rubber per tree per year or per unit area per year; (2) the growth rate, as expressed by increment of girth in cm; (3) the survival during the over-wintering period; (4) the initiation or suppression of certain diseases; In this paper the author would like to describe the influence of climatic elements on yield of latex and on survival during the over-wintering period. As for the other two aspects, only general comments are given.     

Molecular phylogenetic analyses reveal a close relationship between powdery mildew fungi on some tropical trees and Erysiphe alphitoides, an oak powdery mildew

To investigate the phylogenetic relationships among the powdery mildew fungi of some economically important tropical trees belonging to Oidium subgenus Pseudoidium, we conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses using 30 DNA sequences of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and 26 sequences of the domains D1 and D2 of the 28S rDNA obtained from the powdery mildews on Hevea brasiliensis (para rubber tree), Anacardium occidentale (cashew), Bixa orellana, Citrus spp., Mangifera indica (mango), and Acacia spp. The results indicate that the powdery mildew fungi isolated from these tropical trees are closely related to one another. These powdery mildews are also closely related to E. alphitoides (including Erysiphe sp. on Quercus phillyraeoides). Because of the obligate biotrophic nature of the powdery mildew fungi, the relationship between powdery mildews and their host plants is conservative. However, the present study suggests that a particular powdery mildew species has expanded its host ranges on a wide range of the tropical trees. This article also suggests that a powdery mildew fungus distributed in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere expanded its host ranges onto tropical plants and may be a good example of how geographical and host range expansion has occurred in the Erysiphales.     

31种木本植物开花物候与系统发育的关系

植物物候通常被认为是由环境因素,如降水、温度和日照长度所决定,然而环境因素是否是物候唯一的决定因素仍然存在很大争议。谱系结构表征了植物在进化上的顺序,该发育时序是否对物候产生影响,当前仍然未知。在调查2016年春季新疆乌鲁木齐市最常见的31种木本植物的初始开花时间、败花时间和开花持续时间的基础上,通过分析植物开花物候的分布特征、开花物候在乔灌木间的差别、以及植物谱系距离与开花物候距离间的关系,试图揭示植物的开花物候和物种谱系(进化)顺序间的关系。结果表明:(1)新疆乌鲁木齐市31种木本植物的初始开花时间为4月18日±9d、败花时间为5月5日±12d、开花持续时间为(16±8)d;(2)乔木的初始开花时间和败花时间的标准差分别均低于灌木,乔木开花物候相对灌木更稳定;(3)乔木的初始开花和败花时间均显著早于灌木(P0.05),但开花持续时间在两者间未有显著性差异(P0.05);(3)31种木本植物间的初始开花时间距离、败花时间距离和开花持续时间距离均与物种谱系距离存在显著线性回归关系(P0.05)。综上可知:乔灌木在垂直空间上的分化使得木本植物的开花物候在植物生活型间存在不同。对植物的开花物候,除已被证明的降水、温度和日照长度等环境因素的影响外,物种进化顺序也可能造成了它在植物种间、时间和空间上的变异。     

Fungitoxic and phytotoxic effect of some surface-active agents applied for the control of apple powdery mildew

Mixtures of methyl esters of fatty acids (‘Off-Shoot O’) and mixtures of fatty alcohols (‘Off-Shoot T’), applied during the late autumn (November), eradicated apple powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera leucotricha) from infected buds. Applications in the spring at bud-burst were less effective. The autumn sprays caused little damage to the cultivars Bramley's Seedling, Cox's Orange Pippin and Golden Delicious but on Worcester Pearmain 50% of the buds were killed by a 5% Off-Shoot O spray. The bud-burst sprays were damaging and reduced yield on the Cox and Bramley trees. A 5% a.i. mixture of nonanol/lissapol applied to a range of commercial cultivars was effective in eradicating powdery mildew but was more phytotoxic than the Off-Shoot compounds. Spraying Cox trees later in the winter failed to reduce the damage. Eradication of the overwintering stage of the disease resulted in low spore concentrations during the following spring and early summer, enabling some economies to be made in the summer mildew fungicide programme.     

云南橡胶林和天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性、群落结构差异及指示种

橡胶树Hevea brasiliensis是云南省重要的经济林木, 但对其生态服务功能尚存在争议。本研究以天然次生林为对照, 使用Winkler法对橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁进行初步研究, 探讨橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁的生态状况。于2012年10月和2013年4月采用Winkler袋法调查了云南省绿春县大黑山乡橡胶林和牛孔乡天然次生林枯落物层蚂蚁群落的物种多样性、 群落结构差异及指示种。结果表明： 橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁多度（转换后）、 物种丰富度S和ACE值显著低于无干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）; 蚂蚁多度（转换后）显著低于有干扰的天然次生林（P<0.05）, 而物种丰富度S和ACE值差异不显著。橡胶林枯落物层蚂蚁群落结构与两种天然次生林都不相似（F=3.93, df=12, P<0.01）。橡胶林中流浪种大头蚁属Pheidole的蚂蚁种类与天然次生林相比, 物种丰富度增加了100%。天然次生林枯落物层中蚂蚁指示种有3种, 分别为刘氏隆头蚁Strumigenys lewisi、 黄足厚结猛蚁Pachycondyla luteipes和女娲角腹蚁Recurvidris nuwa, 而橡胶林枯落物层中指示种仅为菱结大头蚁Pheidole nodus。枯落物层蚂蚁物种多样性与枯落物厚度呈显著正相关, 而枯落物盖度仅与蚂蚁多度（转换后）有相关性。结果说明, 橡胶林经过长期的经营管理, 生态环境趋于稳定, 对枯落物层蚂蚁群落具有一定的保护作用, 但与天然次生林相比, 蚂蚁多度（转换后）及群落结构仍显示出明显的不同。     

橡胶树PR107微割排胶影响面的膨压测定及分析

对中国热带农业科学研究院试验场7队割制为割阴刀、1/8树围四天一刀(1/8s↑d/4)的橡胶树品种PR107胶树不同高度树干进行膨压测定。结果表明,割胶前橡胶树树干膨压分布不均匀,割胶后膨压下降较少。说明胶树茎干膨压一直维持在较高水平是气刺微割排胶时间较长的原因之一。     

Leaf flushing phenology and herbivory in a tropical dry deciduous forest,southern India

Patterns of leaf-flushing phenology of trees in relation to insect herbivore damage were studied at two sites in a seasonal tropical dry forest in Mudumalai, southern India, from April 1988 to August 1990. At both sites the trees began to flush leaves during the dry season, reaching a peak leaf-flushing phase before the onset of rains. Herbivorous insects emerged with the rains and attained a peak biomass during the wet months. Trees that flushed leaves later in the season suffered significantly higher damage by insects compared to those that flushed early or in synchrony during the peak flushing phase. Species whose leaves were endowed with physical defenses such as waxes suffered less damage than those not possessing such defenses. There was a positive association between the abundance of a species and leaf damage levels. These observations indicate that herbivory may have played a major role in moulding leaf flushing phenology in trees of the seasonal tropics.     

Effect of Nitrogen and Powdery Mildew on the Yield Formation of Two Winter Barley Cultivars1

In field experiments the effect of powdery mildew on the yield formation of two barley cultivars ‘Catinka’ (partially resistant) and ‘Tapir’ (susceptible) was investigated in relation to three levels of nitrogen fertilization (40, 90, 150 kg N/ha). Nitrogen increased especially the single ear yield of cv.‘Catinka’, whereas cv.‘Tapir’ showed symptoms of N oversupply. Infection density of Erysiphe graminis hordei also increased with increased nitrogen supply, although it decreased transiently, at the highest N level for cv.‘Tapir’. In general, cv.‘Catinka’ was less tolerant to infections with E. graminis than cv.‘Tapir’, but yield response of both cultivars to powdery mildew (17, 11 and 8 % and 12, 16, and 12 % yield losses for cv.,‘Catinka’ and ‘Tapir’. respectively) showed cultivar × nitrogen interrelationships. Starch and protein contents of grains indicated differences in the intensity of detrimental effects caused by powdery mildew limiting the formation of carbohydrates and/or the translocation processes. Regression analysis demonstrated a closer correlation of yield losses with the photosynthetically active leaf area (r =+0.96 and +0.93 for ‘Catinka’ and ‘Tapir’) than with disease intensity (r =−0.32 and −0.85). Theinte,rpretation of disease/yield loss relations and the detrimental effect of powdery mildew are discussed with reference to plant resistance, remaining green leaf area, the availability of nutrients, to ‘sink and source’ conditions and to the occurrence of,additional environmental stresses.     

橡胶树白粉菌分支酸变位酶基因克隆及蛋白表达纯化

由橡胶树白粉菌引起的橡胶树白粉病是橡胶树的重要的叶部病害之一,严重影响橡胶的产量。然而目前对橡胶树白粉菌的致病机理研究匮乏。分支酸变位酶是莽草酸途径的关键酶,能够将分支酸转化为预苯酸,为植物提供氨基酸及大量代谢产物,在植物抗病中起到非常重要的作用。而植物病原物在致病过程当中能够分泌分支酸变位酶影响植物莽草酸途径,从而抑制植物的防卫反应。因此研究橡胶树白粉菌分支酸变位酶在其致病过程中的功能具有一定的意义。试验利用同源比对分析在橡胶树白粉菌基因组中获得一个分支酸变位酶同源蛋白,并用PCR克隆获得橡胶树白粉菌分支酸变位酶基因,命名为OHCmu。后续构建GST-OHCmu融合原核表达载体,筛选最优诱导条件,并利用GST亲和层析柱对蛋白进行纯化。结果表明橡胶树白粉菌OHCmu基因大小843 bp,具有1个内含子,编码263个氨基酸;具有d5csma_结构域,属于Chorismate mutaseⅡ蛋白家族;GST-OHCmu融合蛋白外源诱导表达在供试条件下(IPTG:0.8 mmol/L, 16℃)可以有较好的表达,获得融合蛋白大小约为56 kD。经过GST亲和层析柱纯化、切割GST标签后,顺利获得浓度较高、较纯的橡胶树白粉菌OHCmu蛋白。研究结果为后续OHCmu蛋白的特性及致病机理研究提供参考。