The genus Amauroascus

Summary The genusAmauroascus, with two species,A. verrucosus andA. niger, is reviewed historically and authentic herbarium material is cited. The characteristics of pure cultures for the two species are given for the first time. Data are given in support of placingAmauroascus in synonymy withArachniotus.     

Thermotolerant phosphate solubilizing microorganisms and their interaction with mung bean

Several phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) were tested for their efficiency at 35°, 40° and 45°C. There was a marked variation in their ability to solubilise tricalcium phosphate and the effect was more pronounced at 45°C. Two bacterial and one fungal strain were found to be thermotolerant as they solubilised a large amount of tricalcium phosphate at the three tested temperatures. These thermotolerant strains were identified as Bacillus subtilis (TT₀), Bacillus circulans (TT₈) and Aspergillus niger (TT₁₀). Seed inoculation of mung bean showed a better establishment of temperature tolerant strains as revealed by the rhizosphere population. The inoculation improved nodulation, the available P₂O₅ content of the alluvial soil, root and shoot biomass, straw and grain yield and phosphorus and nitrogen uptake of the crop. Among the bacterial strains, the best effect on yield was obtained with B. subtilis. However, statistically it was equivalent to streptomycin resistant mutant (M-20) and Pseudomonas striata (27). A. niger was less effective than bacteria. Though superphosphate was found to be a better source of phosphate fertiliser, the use of rock phosphate (RP₄₀), coupled with phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB), gave results comparable to superphosphate (SP₂₀) + PSB inoculants.     

Biochemical Characterization of Fungal Phytases (myo-Inositol Hexakisphosphate Phosphohydrolases): Catalytic Properties

Supplementation with phytase is an effective way to increase the availability of phosphorus in seed-based animal feed. The biochemical characteristics of an ideal phytase for this application are still largely unknown. To extend the biochemical characterization of wild-type phytases, the catalytic properties of a series of fungal phytases, as well as Escherichia coli phytase, were determined. The specific activities of the fungal phytases at 37°C ranged from 23 to 196 U · (mg of protein)⁻¹, and the pH optima ranged from 2.5 to 7.0. When excess phytase was used, all of the phytases were able to release five phosphate groups of phytic acid (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate), which left myo-inositol 2-monophosphate as the end product. A combination consisting of a phytase and Aspergillus niger pH 2.5 acid phosphatase was able to liberate all six phosphate groups. When substrate specificity was examined, the A. niger, Aspergillus terreus, and E. coli phytases were rather specific for phytic acid. On the other hand, the Aspergillus fumigatus, Emericella nidulans, and Myceliophthora thermophila phytases exhibited considerable activity with a broad range of phosphate compounds, including phenyl phosphate, p-nitrophenyl phosphate, sugar phosphates, α- and β-glycerophosphates, phosphoenolpyruvate, 3-phosphoglycerate, ADP, and ATP. Both phosphate liberation kinetics and a time course experiment in which high-performance liquid chromatography separation of the degradation intermediates was used showed that all of the myo-inositol phosphates from the hexakisphosphate to the bisphosphate were efficiently cleaved by A. fumigatus phytase. In contrast, phosphate liberation by A. niger or A. terreus phytase decreased with incubation time, and the myo-inositol tris- and bisphosphates accumulated, suggesting that these compounds are worse substrates than phytic acid is. To test whether broad substrate specificity may be advantageous for feed application, phosphate liberation kinetics were studied in vitro by using feed suspensions supplemented with 250 or 500 U of either A. fumigatus phytase or A. niger phytase (Natuphos) per kg of feed. Initially, phosphate liberation was linear and identical for the two phytases, but considerably more phosphate was liberated by the A. fumigatus phytase than by the A. niger phytase at later stages of incubation.     

Chromosome numbers of Panamanian Lecythidaceae and their use in subfamilial classification

Nine species of Lecythidaceae subfamily Lecythidoideae in four genera whose chromosome numbers were previously unknown, have 17 as their basic chromosome number:Eschweilera pittieri, three other unidentified species ofEschweilera, Grias cauliflora, Gustavia dubia, G. superba, Lecythis minor, andL. tuyrana. All are diploid exceptGustavia superba, which is tetraploid.Couroupita guianensis, which was previously—and probably incorrectly—reported to have a gametic chromosome number of 18, also hasn = 17. The known chromosome numbers support recognizing at least three of Niedenzu’s subfamilies: Planchonioideae withx = 13, Napoleonaeoideae withx = 16, and Lecythidoideae withx = 17. His fourth subfamily, Foetidioideae, with one genus of five species, has not been counted. Cytological data have been and probably will be useful in indicating to what subfamily problematic genera belong and in showing interesting phytogeographic patterns within the family. On the other hand, cytological data provide no recognizable clues relating the Lecythidaceae to other families.     

On population dynamics in multi-species cultures of diatoms and dinoflagellates

In order to assess the phenomena possibly underlying population dynamics and species succession in the sea, the following phytoplankton culture experiments were made. In uni-algal and in multi-algal batch cultures, generation times and cell yields gained during logarithmic growth were determined for the diatomsBiddulphia regia andCoscinodiscus concinnus, as well as for the dinoflagellates,Ceratium horridum andProrocentrum micans. In multi-species cultures, none of the tested organisms showed any influence on generation time, compared with uni-algal cultures. In contrast, the cell yield of different species showed considerable changes depending on the species concerned and the species-combination used. The dinoflagellatesC. horridum reached, if cultivated together withB. regia orB. regia andC. concinnus, only 10% of the cell number of uni-algal cultures. In the combinations tested,B. regia produced always more than half of the cell number attained in uni-algal cultures. In multi-species cultures,C. concinnus cell production was not affected. Addition of nitrate and phosphate to stationary-phase multi-species cultures induced further growth. Thus it is concluded that growth is limited by nutrient competition in the multi-species experiments conducted. Possible mechanisms of nutrient competition are discussed.     

Phosphate-dissolving bacteria in the rhizosphere of some cultivated legumes

Summary Twelve phosphate-solubilising organisms were isolated from the rhizosphere of four cultivated legumes growing in four soil regions of India. These organisms were identified asBacillus megaterium, B. subtilis, B. brevis, B. pulvifaciens, B. pumilus andB. polymyxa. All the organisms exceptB. megaterium and one strain ofB. pulvifaciens solubilised significantly greater amounts of tricalcium phosphate over uninoculated control in liquid medium. Rhizospheres ofTrifolium alexandrinum andPhaseolus aureus appear to provide more suitable environment for phosphate-dissolving organisms than those ofCrotalaria juncea andSesbania aculeata.     

Inoculation of willows (Salix spp.) with ectomycorrhizal fungi on mined boreal peatland

Inoculation with ectomycorrhizal fungi was explored as a means to improve productivity of experimental short-rotation plantations of the willowsSalix viminalis andSalix dasyclados for biomass production on surface-mined peatlands in northern Finland. Both willow species formed ectomycorrhizas withAmanita spp.,Cortinarius purpurascens, Entoloma nidorosum, otherEntoloma spp.,Hebeloma crustuliniforme, H. pusillum, Laccaria bicolor, andPaxillus involutus in greenhouse experiments.Field trials on a mined peatland site revealed (after one growing season) statistically significant growth stimulation after inoculation due to mycorrhiza formation in both willow species: plants inoculated withEntoloma were sometimes twice as large as control plants. However, such effects were observed only in plots receiving normal phosphate fertilization as opposed to low phosphate application, and were not consistent from season to season. With the inoculum of other species (Cortinarius, Hebeloma andPaxillus) some evidence of growth enhancement was found in the field, but these results were sometimes attributable to non-symbiotic effects of inoculation.     

Four new species of Chusquea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) from Brazil and Ecuador

Four new species ofChusquea—C. bahiana, C. bradei, C. leonardiorum, andC. loxensis—are described and illustrated.Chusquea bahiana andC. bradei, classified within subg.Rettbergia withinChusquea based on their infravaginal, geniculate branching and spatheate, often contracted inflorescences, are endemic to the Atlantic forests of Bahia and Espírito Santo, Brazil, where they are relatively uncommon.Chusquea leonardiorum andC. loxensis are native to the páramos of southern Ecuador;C. leonardiorum is moderately widespread, butC. loxensis is known from only two populations in the Parque Nacional Podocarpus in the province of Loja. These two species are allied withChusquea sect.Chusquea based on their erect to arching or scandent habit, extravaginal branching, and relatively numerous subsidiary branches per node.     

Chemical composition and antifungal effect of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) fruit oil at ripening stage

The composition of the essential oil ofPimpinella anisum L fruit is determined by GC and GC-MS. The volatile oil content obtained by hydrodistillation was 1.91%. Ten compounds representing 98.3% of the oil was identified. The main constituents of he oil obtained from dried fruits were trans-a nethole (93.9%) and estragole (2.4%). The olfactorially valuable constituents that were found with concentration higher than 0.06% were (E)-methyeugenol, α-cuparene, α-himachalene, β-bisabolene, p-anisaldehyde and cis-anethole. Also, the different concentrations of anise oil exerted varying levels of inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth off/ternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger andAspergillus parasiticus used in experimental. The results showed that the most effected fungus from anise oil wasA. parasiticus, which is followed byA. niger andA. alternata. Individual of this plant oil may provide a useful to achive adequate shelf-life of foods.     

Some heterostrophic gastropods from Triassic St. Cassian Formation with a discussion on the classification of the Allogastropoda

Fifteen species of Heterostropha are described, 12 of them for the first time. All are newly interpreted with regard to their taxonomic relation to fossil and living gastropods. The Streptacidoidea with long Paleozoic history are represented in the Late Triassic St. Cassian Formation by several genera that can be differentiated into four families. The Ebalidae are represented byEbala, with smooth protoconch, Cassianebalidae byCassianebala andLoxebala with axially ornamented protoconch. The Donaldinidae of St. Cassian are represented by one species ofDonaldina and two ofNeodonaldina that stand in the continuation of Paleozoic species ofDonaldina. Architectonicoidea with shells coiled in a plane and Valvatoidea appear in the St. Cassian fauna without known Paleozoic relation. In the former superfamily the Architectonicidae can be recognized in the genusRinaldoconchus with two species. Cassianaxidae withCassianaxis, Amphitomariidae withAmphitomaria, Stuoraxidae withStuoraxis andAmpezzogyra have a sinistral protoconch and planispirally coiled dextral teleconchs. They all resemble different modern species that have similarly small shells. Modern Hyalogyrinidae have withAlexogyra a new representative from the Triassic. The Valvatoidea are represented with the generaCarboninia andBandellina of the Cornirostridae in the Triassic representatives. The relation of described species in the system of the Heterostropha is discussed.     

PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES OF THE GENUSARTHONIA

A phylogenetic analysis is presented, based on 57 morphological, anatomical, chemical and ecological characters, including 19 species from the generaArthonia,ArthotheliumandSyncesia. The aim of the study was to test the monophyly of some of the groups within the genusArthoniasuggested, for example, by Redinger (e.g. species with reddish ascomata, with grey–pruinose ascomata and with brown–black hypothecia). The results strongly support thatArthoniaandArthotheliumare paraphyletic genera. The best-supported node contains allArthoniaspecies together withA. crozalsianade Lesd.,A. ruanaA. Massal. (both hitherto placed inArthothelium) andSyncesia myrticola(Fée) Tehler. A well-supported clade is formed by a group of pioneer species, often non-lichenized or poorly lichenized, including the type species ofArthonia,A. radiata. The species with reddish and/or K+ reddish ascomata form one clade and the species with more or less brownish or blackish hypothecia form another clade withSyncesia myrticola, the sister group to theOpegraphaceaeandRoccellaceae. The results are discussed and compared with Redinger’s grouping. Relationships to other genera within Arthoniaceae are briefly discussed.Arthothelium scandinavicumTh. Fr.,Arthonia dispersa(Schrad.) Nyl.,A. punctiformisAch. andA. mediellaNyl. are lectotypified.     

The vegetation of central yacutian alases

Alases are unique grassland landscapes in Central Yacutia, their development influenced by extra-continental arid climate. Twenty three associations have been distinguished and described. These associations form an ecological series from steppe withFestuca lenensis andStipa krylovii through salt and swamp meadow (Hordeum brevisubulatum, Puccinellia tenuiflora, Alopecurus arundinaceus, Calamagrostis langsdorffii, Carex juncella) to swamp communities ofScolochloa festucacea, Glyceria triflora, Scirpus lacustris andTypha latifolia. The community complexes of specific elements of alas landscapes—baidjerakhs and bulgunnyakhs—are analysed.     

Hydrolytic microbial resolution of 1,2-O-isopropylidenglycerol: Improvements by using esters with homologous fatty acids

Summary The possibility of obtaining chiral 1,2-O isopropylidenglycerol by hydrolysis of its esters with homologous fatty acids from C₃ to C₇ was investigated withSarcina lutea, Pseudomonas putida, andBacillus subtilis var.niger. With the latter the degree of enantioselectivity increases with increasing chain length to a maximum of 82% e. e. of the S enantiomer in the hydrolysis of hexanoyl 1,2-0-isopropylidenglycerol.     

Carbohydrate Specificity of Antibodies against Phytopathogenic Fungi of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus</Emphasis> Genus

Brush rabbits were immunized with injections prepared from the fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus repens. A library of synthetic biotinylated oligosaccharides containing the key fragments of antigenic polysaccharides of the fungal cell wall—galctomannan, α- and β-glucans, mannan, and chitin—was used to analyze carbohydrate specificity. The anticarbohydrate antibodies obtained from animals immunized with preparations from A. fumigatus and A. repens predominantly recognized epitopes containing galactofuranoside residues, while the majority of the antibodies against A. niger bound the chitooligosaccharide ligand. These results are the basis for the identification of specific markers required for the development of immunoenzyme test systems.     

Combined Effects of Ultrahigh Vacuum and Temperature on the Viability of Some Spores and Soil Organisms

Considerably fewer spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus, B. megaterium, and Clostridium sporogenes were recovered than were spores of B. subtilis var. niger and Aspergillus niger after 4 to 5 days at 53 and 60 C in ultrahigh vacuum. There were no significant differences in the recoveries of these five organisms at 25 C and atmospheric pressure, and after exposure to 25 and -190 C in vacuum. At 60 C, a far greater decrease in viability was demonstrated for B. stearothermophilus, B. megaterium, and C. sporogenes in ultrahigh vacuum than at atmospheric pressure. Viable B. subtilis var. niger spores were not detected in an initial 10⁷ spores after retention at 90 C and ultrahigh vacuum, and 10⁴ spores were viable after 5 days at 90 C and atmospheric pressure from an initial 10⁶ spores. Molds and actinomycetes in soil were particularly resistant up to 69 C in vacuum. Actinomycetes were the only soil organisms recovered so far at 120 C.     

Characterization of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria exhibiting the potential for growth promotion and phosphorus nutrition improvement in maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea mays</Emphasis> L.) in calcareous soils of Sinaloa,Mexico

Greenhouse bioassays were used to examine the ability of selected strains of the rhizobacteria Sinorhizobium meliloti, Bacillus flexus and B. megaterium to solubilize phosphorus (P) and to affect growth promotion and phosphorus nutrition in maize. These bacterial strains were found to decrease the pH and solubilize some forms of insoluble P, such as tricalcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite, as well as to exhibit acid and alkaline phosphatase enzymatic activities in culture medium, properties that are possibly involved in P solubilization. Inoculation of the strains separately and as a consortium of the three bacteria (S. meliloti, B. flexus and B. megaterium) in P-deficient soil (4.33 w/v P) fertilized without P improved plant height, shoot and root dry weight, as well as P nutrition in the maize plants. Use of the B. flexus and B. megaterium strains separately and in a consortium positively affected several growth parameters and P nutrition in plants supplemented with insoluble P. No effect was observed when pots in which the seedlings were growing were supplied with soluble fertilizer. A second assay using a P-deficient soil (6.64 w/v P) showed that inoculation with the consortium of B. flexus and B. megaterium significantly increased growth and total P content in maize plants. A dose–response P fertilization experiment using sterile P-deficient soil led us to conclude that inoculation to soil of the mixture of B. flexus and B. megaterium may improve P nutrition and growth to a level previously attained by the addition of soluble P-fertilizer at 40 w/v P. A non-sterile experiment showed a beneficial response with B. megaterium but not with B. flexus. We propose utilizing these bacteria in P-deficient alkaline soils in future field trials in order to evaluate their potential as biofertilizers.     

Density-dependent predation of the antLasius niger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on two attended aphidsLachnus tropicalis andMyzocallis kuricola (Homoptera: Aphididae)

The antLasius niger was observed collecting honeydew and preying on the two aphid speciesLachnus tropicalis andMyzocallis kuricola on the chestnut treesCastanea crenata. Observation determined how the antL. niger controlled their predation on the aphids in response to the density and honeydew-productivity of the aphids.Lachnus tropicalis was a better honeydew source thanM. kuricola forL. niger in terms of the amount of honeydew collected per unit time by the ants. The number of foraging workers on a tree increased with the number ofL. tropicalis on the tree, but not with the number ofM. kuricola. The density ofL. tropicalis perL. niger worker on a tree had a positive effect on the predation activity ofL. niger on both aphids, whereas the density ofM. kuricola per ant did not have any significant effect. The predation pressure by the ant which increased withL. tropicalis density, however, directed toM. kuricola rather than toL. tropicalis. These facts suggest (1) thatL. niger control their predation activities on aphids with regards to the densities of the attended aphids per worker, and (2) that the ants prey on the aphid species producing less honeydew. The effects of the ant predation on aphids and the importance of these predation effect in antaphids interactions were discussed.