New species of Teratosphaeria associated with leaf diseases on Corymbia calophylla (Marri)

Corymbia calophylla is an important eucalypt species endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is currently in decline across its native habitat for unknown reasons but perhaps due to climate change or to the presence of a recently described canker disease caused by Quambalaria coyrecup. Few fungal leaf pathogens have been described from C. calophylla. The following paper describes two new species of Teratosphaeria from C. calophylla, Teratosphaeria calophylla sp. nov and T. rubidae sp. nov. In addition, a new epitype was designated for T. australiensis.     

Two new Fusicoccum species from Acacia and Eucalyptus in Venezuela, based on morphology and DNA sequence data

Botryosphaeria spp. are common endophytes of woody plants, and they also include some serious pathogens of Eucalyptus and Acacia species. Numerous anamorphs have been associated with Botryosphaeria, of which the species Fusicoccum are amongst the most common. Here, we characterize two new Fusicoccum species, isolated from Eucalyptus and Acacia trees in Venezuela, based on morphological features in culture and comparisons of DNA sequence data. The two taxa named Fusicoccum andinum and F. stromaticum spp. nov, reside in two well-supported clades (BS values = 100 %) based on a combined data set of the ITS of the rDNA operon and translation elongation factor 1-α (EF1- α) gene sequences. The conidia of F. andinum are unusually large amongst Botryosphaeria anamorphs, and peripherally resemble those of B. mamane and B. melanops. F. stromaticum is characterized by large conidiomata in cultures, growth at 35 °C and slightly thickened conidial walls, which is different to most other Fusicoccum spp. No teleomorphs were observed for these fungi, but DNA sequence data show that they are anamorphs of Botryosphaeria.     

Relationships between early growth and Quambalaria shoot blight tolerance in Corymbia citriodora progeny trials established in Queensland, Australia

The fungal pathogen Quambalaria pitereka can cause significant damage to spotted gum (Corymbia sp.) plantations in Australia. A series of seven progeny trials, involving seed from a range-wide collection from 527 individuals within 25 native populations of Corymbia citriodora sub-species variegata, were assessed for height growth and damage from Quambalaria around 1 year after planting. Infection at this young age has been found to detrimentally impact growth, form, and wood quality for many years. Genetic variance was found to be significant at both the provenance and family level. However, selection of families within provenances should lead to greater levels of genetic gain than what can be realized from selecting among provenances as estimates of additive genetic variance were consistently greater than estimates of variance among populations. Strong relationships between height and Quambalaria shoot blight (QSB) damage assessments in these trials were evidenced by very high genetic correlations between the traits; therefore, selection for any of these traits could be used to identify more productive and QSB-tolerant populations. While both provenances and families were found to interact with the trial environments at a similar level across traits, genetic correlations indicated that rankings for growth were be less stable than rankings for QSB tolerance across environments. Genetic parameter estimates derived from general and generalized linear models were very similar and either analytical method could be used to evaluate fungal damage.     

Role of Life History Strategy in the Colonisation of Western Australian Aquatic Systems by the Introduced Crayfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cherax destructor</Emphasis> Clark, 1936

The presence of the yabbie Cherax destructor in a number of wild aquatic systems in the Pilbara and Southwest Coast Drainage Divisions of Western Australia is documented. This is of great concern as all native freshwater crayfishes in Western Australia are endemic and restricted to the southwest, while the Pilbara Division has no native species. An introduced population of C. destructor was sampled monthly from the Hutt River (Pilbara Drainage Division) for determination of life-history and reproductive biology in a wild aquatic system in Western Australia for the first time. Proliferation in that system was attributed to specific traits including: attaining first maturity at the end of its first year of life; a protracted spawning period (July–January); relatively high mean ovarian fecundity of 210.2 (±9.24 S.E.); and a rapid growth rate (curvature parameter K = 0.78 and asymptotic orbital carapace length OCL_∞ = 51.25 mm ascertained from a seasonal von Bertalanffy growth curve) that was comparable to the larger sympatric marron Cherax cainii in this system. The life-history characteristics of C. destructor in the Hutt River were typical of many other invasive crayfish species and it has the potential to impact the unique aquatic ecosystems and the endemic freshwater crayfish species of the region.     

Open field host selection and behavior by tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda spp.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in biological control of exotic saltcedars (Tamarix spp.) and risks to non-target athel (T. aphylla) and native Frankenia spp.

Biological control of invasive saltcedars (Tamarix spp.) in the western U.S. by exotic tamarisk leaf beetles, Diorhabda spp., first released in 2001 after 15 years of development, has been successful. In Texas, beetles from Crete, Greece were first released in 2004 and are providing control. However, adults alight, feed and oviposit on athel (Tamarix aphylla), an evergreen tree used for shade and as a windbreak in the southwestern U.S. and México, and occasionally feed on native Frankenia spp. plants. The ability of tamarisk beetles to establish on these potential field hosts was investigated in the field. In no-choice tests in bagged branches, beetle species from Crete and Sfax, Tunisia produced 30–45% as many egg masses and 40–60% as many larvae on athel as on saltcedar. In uncaged choice tests in south Texas, adult, egg mass and larval densities were 10-fold higher on saltcedar than on adjacent athel trees after 2 weeks, and damage by the beetles was 2- to 10-fold greater on saltcedar. At a site near Big Spring, in west-central Texas, adults, egg masses and 1st and 2nd instar larvae were 2- to 8-fold more abundant on saltcedar than on athel planted within a mature saltcedar stand being defoliated by Crete beetles, and beetles were 200-fold or less abundant or not found at all on Frankenia. At a site near Lovelock, Nevada, damage by beetles of a species collected from Fukang, China was 12–78% higher on saltcedar than on athel planted among mature saltcedar trees undergoing defoliation. The results demonstrate that 50–90% reduced oviposition on athel and beetle dispersal patterns within resident saltcedar limit the ability of Diorhabda spp. to establish populations and have impact on athel in the field.     

Novel hosts of the Eucalyptus canker pathogen Chrysoporthe cubensis and a new Chrysoporthe species from Colombia

The pathogen Chrysoporthe cubensis (formerly Cryphonectria cubensis) is best known for the important canker disease that it causes on Eucalyptus species. This fungus is also a pathogen of Syzygium aromaticum (clove), which is native to Indonesia, and like Eucalyptus, is a member of Myrtaceae. Furthermore, C. cubensis has been found on Miconia spp. native to South America and residing in Melastomataceae. Recent surveys have yielded C. cubensis isolates from new hosts, characterized in this study based on DNA sequences for the ITS and β-tubulin gene regions. These hosts include native Clidemia sericea and Rhynchanthera mexicana (Melastomataceae) in Mexico, and non-native Lagerstroemia indica (Pride of India, Lythraceae) in Cuba. Isolates from these hosts and areas group in the sub-clade of C. cubensis accommodating the South American collections of the fungus. This sub-clade also includes isolates recently collected from Eucalyptus in Cuba, which are used to epitypify C. cubensis. New host records from Southeast Asia include exotic Tibouchina urvilleana from Singapore and Thailand and native Melastoma malabathricum (Melastomataceae) in Sumatra, Indonesia. Consistent with their areas of occurrence isolates from the latter collections group in the Asian sub-clade of C. cubensis. DNA sequence comparisons of isolates from Tibouchina lepidota in Colombia revealed that they represent a new sub-clade within the greater Chrysoporthe clade. Isolates in this clade are described as Chrysoporthe inopina sp. nov., based on distinctive morphological differences.     

Field assessment of the risk posed by Diorhabda elongata, a biocontrol agent for control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), to a nontarget plant, Frankenia salina

The biological control program for saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) has led to open releases of a specialist beetle (Chrysomelidae: Diorhabda elongata) in several research locations, but the controversy over potential impacts to native, nontarget plants of the genus Frankenia remains unresolved. To assess the potential for nontarget impacts under field conditions, we installed cultivated Frankenia spp. (primarily two forms of Frankenia salina but also including Frankenia jamesii) at locations in Nevada and Wyoming where D. elongata densities and saltcedar defoliation were expected to be very high, so insects would be near starvation with high probability of attacking nontargets if these were suitable hosts. Subsequent insect abundance was high, and only minor impact (<4% foliar damage) was observed on both forms of F. salina under these ‘worst case’ conditions; there was no impact to F. jamesii. No oviposition nor larval development were observed on any plants, there was no dieback of damaged F. salina stems, and plants continued growing once insect populations subsided. These results under ‘natural’ field conditions contrast with caged host-range tests in which feeding, development and minor oviposition occurred on the nontarget plant. Other ecological factors, such as distance from target plants to natural Frankenia spp. populations, inhospitable conditions for agent survival in such sites, and intrinsic insect behavior that makes colonization and/or genetic adaptation highly unlikely, lead us to conclude that nontarget impacts following program implementation will be insignificant or absent. Host range testing of new agents, while necessary to ensure safety, must put greater attention on assessing the ecological context where agents will be establishing, and on balancing speculated risks against potential benefits of biological control.     

Not only size matters: Acorn selection by the European jay (Garrulus glandarius)

A strong selection for acorn characteristics is expected to have evolved in the mutualistic relationship between the European jay (Garrulus glandarius) and the oak (Quercus spp.). Bossema's pioneer work suggested that jays do not select acorns randomly, but rather they preferentially select some size and species. Preference for some seeds over others may have implications on plant community dynamics by conferring advantages (or disadvantages) on the selected (avoided) seed characteristics. In this paper we test to what extent jays select acorns by species and/or by size and the relation between these two traits in Mediterranean oak species. The experiments consist of a set of field tests in which acorns from four different coexisting Mediterranean oak species (Quercus ilex, Quercus faginea, Quercus suber, and Quercus coccifera) were placed in artificial feeders accessible to wild jays. The acorns were previously measured to control individual acorn characteristics. Using video-recording techniques, we followed jay activity and the fate of each acorn (sequence of acorn selection and method of transport). Q. ilex acorns were preferred over other acorns, and Q. coccifera acorns were avoided when other acorns were available. Preference for Q. faginea and Q. suber acorns was intermediate, that is, they were preferred over Q. coccifera acorns but not over Q. ilex acorns. Large acorns were also preferred although acorn species selection was stronger than size selection. Jays selected species and size both by visual means and by using acorn area as an indicator of size. Acorns wider than 17–19 mm were carried in the bill because of throat limitation. Our results confirm Bossema's study on temperate oaks and extend it to Mediterranean oak species, revealing implications on mixed oak forest dynamics.     

四种栎属青冈亚属植物叶绿体基因组特征及系统发育研究

栎属青冈亚属植物的系统发育地位长期存在着争议，部分种的种间关系不明确。为揭示宁冈青冈(Quercus ningangensis)、曼青冈(Q.oxyodon)、毛曼青冈(Q.gambleana)、竹叶青冈(Q.neglecta)的叶绿体基因组特征及系统发育关系，该研究选择以上4种栎属青冈亚属植物的成熟叶片进行二代测序，对其叶绿体基因组结构和特征进行分析，并结合相关类群进行系统发育研究。结果表明：(1)宁冈青冈、曼青冈、毛曼青冈、竹叶青冈的叶绿体基因组序列长度分别为160 906、160 883、160 832、160 784 bp,均编码133个基因，包括88个蛋白质编码基因、37个tRNA基因、8个rRNA基因。(2)4种栎属青冈亚属植物偏好以A/T结尾的密码子，质体基因组变异区域主要存在于非编码序列。(3)通过IR边界分析得出，4种栎属青冈亚属植物存在ycf1假基因且在IRb/SSC区域发生扩张。(4)系统发育分析显示，在壳斗科中，水青冈属(Fagus)和轮叶三棱栎属(Trigonobalanus)较早分化出来，栎亚属(subg.Quercus)未形成一个单系群，叶绿体基因组建树结...     

Growth of Phragmites australis and Phalaris arundinacea in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the Czech Republic

Common reed (Phragmites australis) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea) are two most commonly used plant species in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment in the Czech Republic. Growth characteristics of both plants (biomass, stem count, and length) have been measured in 13 horizontal sub-surface flow constructed wetlands since 1992. The results revealed that while Phalaris usually reaches its maximum biomass as early as during the second growing season, Phragmites usually reaches its maximum only after three to four growing seasons. The maximum biomass of both species varies widely among systems and the highest measured values (5070 g m⁻² for Phragmites and 1900 g m⁻² for Phalaris) are similar to those found in eutrophic natural stands. The shoot count of Phragmites decreases after the second growing season while length and weight of individual shoots increases over time due to self-thinning process. Number of Phalaris shoots is the highest during the second season and then the shoot count remains about the same. Also the shoot length remains steady over years of constructed wetland operation.     

Cylindrocarpon pauciseptatum sp. nov., with notes on Cylindrocarpon species with wide, predominantly 3-septate macroconidia

A Cylindrocarpon species with up to 10 μm wide, straight and predominantly 3-septate macroconidia, subglobose to ovoidal microconidia and chlamydospores, is described as Cyl. pauciseptatum. It is most similar to Cyl. austrodestructans but no chlamydospores and microconidia are formed in the latter. Similar macroconidia also occur in Cyl. theobromicola, which forms oval to ellipsoidal microconidia at least sparsely and has slightly curved macroconidia, and Cyl. destructans var. crassum, which forms abundant 1-celled microconidia. DNA sequence data of the internal transcribed spacer regions 1 and 2 plus the 5.8S rDNA and the partial beta-tubulin gene were used for phylogenetic inferences. Cylindrocarpon pauciseptatum and Cyl. macrodidymum are monophyletic and are closely related to other species of Cylindrocarpon sensu stricto including members of the Cyl. destructans (teleomorph, Neonectria radicicola) species complex, which accommodates Cyl. liriodendri (teleomorph, Neon. liriodendri), Cyl. destructans var. crassum and Cyl. austrodestructans (teleomorph, Neonectria austroradicicola comb. nov.). Cylindrocarpon theobromicola is distantly related to species of Cylindrocarpon sensu stricto or Neonectria sensu stricto. It clustered among cylindrocarpon-like species with curved macroconidia, of which some belong to the Neon. mammoidea group. Relatively voluminous cells in sporodochial conidiophores of Cyl. theobromicola resembled those described for Campylocarpon, which is closely related to members of the Neon. mammoidea group including Cyl. theobromicola. Cylindrocarpon pauciseptatum has been isolated from roots of Vitis spp. in South-eastern Europe (Slovenia) as well as New Zealand, where it also occurs on roots of Erica melanthera.     

Phytophthora quercetorum sp. nov., a novel species isolated from eastern and north-central USA oak forest soils

Isolates belonging to an undescribed Phytophthora species were frequently recovered during an oak forest soil survey of Phytophthora species in eastern and north-central USA in 2004. The species was isolated using an oak leaf baiting method from rhizosphere soil samples collected from Quercus rubra, Q. macrocarpa, and Q. phellos. This species is formally described as P. quercetorum. It is homothallic and has aplerotic oogonia and paragynous antheridia. It produces papillate sporangia (occasionally bipapillate) of ovoid-elongated shapes. Its temperature optimum for growth is ca 22.5 °C with the upper limit of ca 32.5 °C. P. quercetorum differs from the morphologically related P. quercina in producing distinct submerged colony-patterns, different growth-temperature requirements, and oogonial shapes and sizes. Phylogenetic analyses using seven nuclear loci supported P. quercetorum as a novel species within clade 4, closely related to P. arecae, P. palmivora, P. megakarya, and P. quercina.     

Hyperparasitism by Mesochorus spp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in Peristenus sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and development of PCR primers for hyperparasitoid detection

Peristenus sp. pupae collected from Lygus spp. nymphs in 2001 and 2002 were over-wintered in the laboratory. In both years, more than 30% of adults emerging from over-wintering pupae were identified as ichneumonid hyperparasitoids, Mesochorus curvulus Thomson and Meschorus sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). At the end of the over-wintering period, Peristenus sp. males emerged first followed by Peristenus sp. females and finally Mesochorus spp. The male:female ratio in emerging Peristenus sp. adults was skewed towards males. The Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region and the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene from Mesochorus spp. were sequenced. ITS sequences were used to develop PCR primers to detect Mesochorus spp. hyperparasitism in the primary host, Lygus spp. PCR analysis of field-collected Lygus spp. nymphs gave similar estimates of Mesochorus spp. hyperparasitism to the rearing protocols (25–28%). Sequence analysis of COI and ITS regions and subsequent restriction endonuclease analysis of ITS PCR products from Mesochorus spp. indicate the presence of two genotypes in the population. The possibility that these two genotypes represent separate or cyrptic species is discussed.     

Relationships between occurrences of toxic Dinophysis species (Dinophyceae) and small phytoplanktons in Japanese coastal waters

Fluctuations of the genus Dinophysis, which contained several toxic species of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), were investigated during blooms in Hiroshima Bay, Mutsu Bay and Ise Bay, Japan. The co-occurrences of small phytoplanktons (cryptophytes, other nanophytoplanktons, cyanobacteria and eukaryotic picophytoplanktons) were investigated to search for relationships with mixotrophic Dinophysis. Cryptophytes were divided into three size-groups based on length of their chloroplasts (>10, 5–10 and <5 μm) during counting by epifluorescence microscopy. Clear relationships were not found between the occurrences of Dinophysis spp. and nanophytoplanktons, cyanobacteria and eukaryotic picophytoplanktons. However, the fluctuations of small-sized cryptophytes (<5 μm) showed a close relationship with that of D. acuminata in Hiroshima Bay. In Mutsu Bay, small-sized cryptophytes also accompanied the first occurrence peak of Dinophysis spp. In Ise Bay, peaks of the occurrences of middle- and small-sized cryptophytes were observed 2–3 weeks before the peak of D. acuminata. These cryptophytes decreased rapidly with increase in D. acuminata. These results suggest the possibility that small-sized cryptophytes may be food organisms for mixotrophic Dinophysis, with the abundance of Dinophysis dependent on these cryptophytes.     

Seven new calochroid and fulvoid species of Cortinarius

We describe seven new European species of Cortinarius. All species are based on analyses of morphological and DNA sequence data. They all belong to a well-supported clade comprising most species traditionally treated in Cortinarius subgenus Phlegmacium sections Fulvi and Calochroi (i.e. the/Calochroi clade). All taxa are either fulvoid (containing anthraquinoid pigments) or calochroid (without these pigments). Morphological and ecological data are presented for all species and compared with similar species. A dichotomous key is presented for C. calochrous and similar species, including all six newly described calochroid species. The calochroid species C. albertii, C. chailluzii, C. cisticola, C. sancti-felicis, C. selandicus and C. vesterholtii spp. nov., and the fulvoid species C. langeorum sp. nov. are described.     

Expression of the recA gene of Escherichia coli in several species of gram-negative bacteria

Summary A broad host range plasmid containing an operon fusion between the recA and lacZ genes of Escherichia coli was introduced into various aerobic and facultative gram-negative bacteria — 30 species belonging to 20 different genera — to study the expression of the recA gene after DNA damage. These included species of the families Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Rhizobiaceae, Vibrionaceae, Neisseriaceae, Rhodospirillaceae and Azotobacteraceae. Results obtained show that all bacteria tested, except Xanthomonas campestris and those of the genus Rhodobacter, are able to repress and induce the recA gene of E. coli in the absence and in the presence of DNA damage, respectively. All these data indicate that the SOS system is present in bacterial species of several families and that the LexA-binding site must be very conserved in them.     

Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum: two new species isolated from cacao in South America

Trichoderma theobromicola and T. paucisporum spp. nov. are described. Trichoderma theobromicola was isolated as an endophyte from the trunk of a healthy cacao tree (Theobroma cacao, Malvaceae) in Amazonian Peru; it sporulates profusely on common mycological media. Trichoderma paucisporum is represented by two cultures that were obtained in Ecuador from cacao pods partially infected with frosty pod rot, Moniliophthora roreri; it sporulates sporadically and most cultures remain sterile on common media and autoclaved rice. It sporulates more reliably on synthetic low-nutrient agar (SNA) but produces few conidia. Trichoderma theobromicola was reintroduced into cacao seedlings through shoot inoculation and was recovered from stems but not from leaves, indicating that it is an endophytic species. Both produced a volatile/diffusable antibiotic that inhibited development of M. roreri in vitro and on-pod trials. Neither species demonstrated significant direct in vitro mycoparasitic activity against M. roreri.     

The EPSPS gene flow from glyphosate-resistant Brassica napus to untransgene B. napus and wild relative species Orychophragmus violaceus

Gene flow from transgenic plants to compatible wild relatives is one of the major impediments to the development of the culture of genetically engineered crop plants. In this work, the flow of EPSPS (conferring resistance to glyphosate) gene of transgene Brassica napus toward the untransgene B. napus and wild relative species Orychophragmus violaceus in an open field (1 ha) was studied. The data related to only the 2004 and 2005 autumn season on one location of southwest of China. Pollen dispersal and fertilization of the target plants were favored and a detailed analysis of the hybrid offspring was performed. In field, the data studied show that the gene flow frequency was 0.16% between GM and non-GM B. napus at a distance of 1 m from the transgenic donor area. The crosspollination frequency was 0.05% between GM and non-GM B. napus at a distance of 5 m from the transgenic donor area. At a distance of 10 m, no crosspollination was observed. According to the results of this study, B. napus transgene flow was low. However, the wild relative species O. violaceus could not be fertilized by the transgenic pollen of B. napus, no matter what the distance was.