Development of aerenchyma in roots and rhizomes of Carex rostrata (Cyperaceae)

Aerenchyma development in Carex rostrata was studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Specimens were collected at two locations in southern Finland. Examination showed the beginning of aerenchyma development in the cortex of roots at the distance of 30–45 mm from the apex and it was fully developed at 75–90 mm from the apex. First, schizogenous cavities were formed in the cortex, and the sequence continued with a collapse of tangential cell walls in the cortex, leaving radial strands of cells intact and leading to a structure resembling a cobweb in cross section. In the rhizomes some of the radial cell walls disintegrated in the cortex, resulting in radial rows of cells without any tangential connections. No diaphragms were observed in the rhizome. There were no direct contacts between the gas spaces of the roots and the rhizomes. The significance of aerenchyma for metabolic processes is discussed.     

Cadmium and copper uptake and accumulation by Sesbania rostrata seedling, a N-fixing annual plant: implications for the mechanism of heavy metal tolerance

Sesbania rostrata,an annual tropical legume,has been found to be tolerant to heavy metals,with an unknown mechanism.It is a promising candidate species for revegetation at mine tailings.In this study,sequential extractions with five buffers and strong acids were used to extract various chemical forms of cadmium and copper in S.rostrata,with or without Cd or Cu treatments,so that the mechanisms of tolerance and detoxification could be inferred.Both metals had low transition rates from roots to the aboveground of S.rostrata.The transition ratio of Cd (4.00%) was higher than that of Cu (1.46%).The proportion of NaCl extracted Cd (mostly in proteinbinding forms) increased drastically in Cd treated plants from being undetectable in untreated plants.This suggests that Cd induced biochemical processes producing proteinlike phytochelatins that served as a major mechanism for the high Cd tolerance of S.rostrata.The case for Cu was quite different,indicating that the mechanism for metal tolerance in S.rostrata is metal-specific.The proportion of water-insoluble Cu (e.g.oxalate and phosphate) in roots increased significantly with Cu treatment,which partially explains the tolerance of S.rostrata to Cu.However,how S.rostrata copes with the high biotic activity of inorganic salts of Cu,which increased in all parts of the plant under Cu stress,is a question for future studies.Sesbania rostrata is among the very few N-fixing plants tolerant to heavy metals.This study provides evidence for the detoxification mechanism of metals in Sesbania rostrata.     

Effectiveness of Sesbania rostrata and Phaseolus calcaratus as green manure for upland rice grown in acidic soil

Two field experiments on green manuring were conducted under upland acidic soil (pH = 4.35) conditions with the following objectives: (1) to determine the influence of inoculation site, P fertilization, and liming on the biomass production, N content, N accumulation, and N availability of S. rostrata grown in an acidic soil, (2) to compare the effectiveness of S. rostrata, P. calcaratus and urea as N sources for upland rice as affected by liming and N source-sowing time combination, and (3) to assess the effect of liming and N source-sowing time combination on % Ndff (N derived from the fertilizer), % Ndfs (N derived from soil), % FNU (fertilizer N utilization), and FNY or fertilizer N yield (kg N ha^–1) of upland rice grown in acidic soil. At 2 weeks after incorporating S. rostrata (95 days after lime application), liming significantly increased N availability by more than 2-fold suggesting that the decomposition of S. rostrata by soil microflora was stimulated by lime. Liming, phosphorus application, and inoculation site improved significantly the dry biomass production, N content and N accumulation of S. rostrata; thus, enhancing its green manuring potential. Regardless of liming, S. rostrata whether applied at 0 week or 2 weeks before sowing was superior to urea in improving grain and straw yields. P. calcaratus when applied at 2 weeks before sowing also produced higher grain yield than urea. Immediate sowing of upland rice after green manure incorporation did not affect negatively the growth and development of upland rice; hence, farmers could save at least 2 weeks in their cropping calendar. N source-sowing time combination had a highly significant influence on % Ndff, % Ndfs, % FNU, N uptake, and fertilizer N yield of upland rice. However, only N uptake was influenced significantly by liming. The rice plant obtained significantly higher % Ndfs from the soils treated with green manure than those treated with urea regardless of liming. The % FNU and % Ndff from the green manures were 11-37% and 9-25%, respectively. These values are much lower than those obtained under continuously flooded soil conditions possibly because of the differences in the organic matter decomposer populations and N loss mechanisms between sloping upland conditions and continuously flooded conditions.     

Nod factor perception during infection thread growth fine-tunes nodulation

Bacterial nodulation factors (NFs) are essential signaling molecules for the initiation of a nitrogen-fixing symbiosis in legumes. NFs are perceived by the plant and trigger both local and distant responses, such as curling of root hairs and cortical cell divisions. In addition to their requirement at the start, NFs are produced by bacteria that reside within infection threads. To analyze the role of NFs at later infection stages, several phases of nodulation were studied by detailed light and electron microscopy after coinoculation of adventitious root primordia of Sesbania rostrata with a mixture of Azorhizobium caulinodans mutants ORS571-V44 and ORS571-X15. These mutants are deficient in NF production or surface polysaccharide synthesis, respectively, but they can complement each other, resulting in functional nodules occupied by ORS571-V44. The lack of NFs within the infection threads was confirmed by the absence of expression of an early NF-induced marker, leghemoglobin 6 of S. rostrata. NF production within the infection threads is shown to be necessary for proper infection thread growth and for synchronization of nodule formation with bacterial invasion. However, local production of NFs by bacteria that are taken up by the plant cells at the stage of bacteroid formation is not required for correct symbiosome development.     

Endothermic warm-up in two species of sphecid wasp and its relation to behaviour

Abstract. The ability of two sphecid wasps, Bembix rostrata and B.zonata (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), to warm up endothermically is demonstrated under laboratory conditions. Mean warm-up rates of B.rostrata are comparable to bees of similar weight. Despite endothermic ability, field observations reveal that B.rostrata are not active below 22C. From observations at the nectar-foraging site (clumps of Thymus vulgaris flowers) it is calculated that the energy resources available to wasps are sufficient to power endothermic warm-up at low temperatures. Alternative explanations for the absence of wasp activity at low temperatures, such as the risk of parasitism, are suggested. Endothermy may be used periodically to increase flight efficiency in response to added load, such as prey carried by females, and mates by males.     

The early nodulin gene SrEnod2 from Sesbania rostrata is inducible by cytokinin

The structure and expression of the early nodulin gene Enod2 from the stem-nodulated tropical legume Sesbania rostrata (SrEnod2) was examined. Genomic clones carrying the single SrEnod2locus were isolated and the DNA sequence of the gene was determined. The SrEnod2 gene was found to lack introns and to encode a protein consisting primarily of a 55-fold repeat of short proline-rich oligopeptides. A putative signal sequence, which may be responsible for targeting of the Enod2 protein to the cell wall, was found to precede this repeat. The temporal expression of the SrEnod2 gene was found to be different in S. rostrata stem versus root nodules induced by Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571. SrEnod2 gene expression was shown to be induced specifically and rapidly by physiologically significant concentrations of exogenously supplied cytokinins. The SrEnod2 gene was also found to be highly expressed in S. rostrata crown gall tumors induced by wild-type Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains, but not in tumors induced by an A. tumefaciens strain carrying a mutation in the cytokinin biosynthesis gene 4. Implications of these observations with regard to cytokinin-induced plant gene expression and a possible role for cytokinin as a symbiotic signal are discussed.     

茎瘤对长喙田菁在铅锌尾矿环境适应中的意义I. 茎瘤对长喙田菁生长发育的影响

 通过设置保留茎瘤和去除茎瘤处理,研究长喙田菁(Sesbania rostrata)在铅锌尾矿、客土和纯土环境中的生长发育情况。结果表明:保留茎瘤使长喙田菁的株高、地上部生物量、地下部生物量、全株生物量和叶绿素含量分别比去除茎瘤处理提高了2.4%～4.8%、27.4%～67.9%、28.5%～99.3%、27.6%～72.3%和17.0%～23.4%,这种作用在纯尾矿处理组最为显著,客土处理组次之,即环境愈恶劣,茎瘤这种作用愈显著,证明了茎瘤对长喙田菁适应铅锌尾矿环境有积极的贡献。     

茎瘤对长喙田菁在铅锌尾矿环境适应中的意义II 茎瘤对长喙田菁固氮和积累重金属的影响

 探讨茎瘤对长喙田菁(Sesbania rostrata)在铅锌矿尾矿、客土和纯土环境中结瘤、固氮和积累重金属的影响。结果表明：保留茎瘤使长喙田菁全株植物氮含量和单株植物氮积累量分别比去除茎瘤处理提高了12.4%～34.0%和43.3%～131.4%,且环境愈恶劣,这种作用愈为显著。同时,保留茎瘤处理显著抑制了长喙田菁根瘤的生长,同样表现出环境愈恶劣,抑制作用愈显著的趋势。因此,在尾矿环境胁迫下,长喙田菁更趋向于选择茎瘤作为固氮途径。由此可见,茎瘤对生长在铅锌尾矿环境中的长喙田菁获得氮素及支持其生长有着特别     

多花黑麦草在酸化铅锌尾矿上的定植和生长

铅锌矿尾矿上设置长喙田菁压青和不压青处理,在此基础上研究多花黑麦草的萌发、生长和重金属积累情况．结果表明,种植长喙田菁改善了尾矿理化性状,尤其是提高了有机质、全N、有效态磷和K的含量．尾矿的强酸性环境(pH<3)是影响黑麦草在其上定植的主要因素．施用石灰可暂时改善尾矿酸度,但实验结束时尾矿酸度几乎完全恢复原状．因此,施用石灰可能只对种子发芽产生作用．大多数情况下多花黑麦草能在尾矿上萌发、生长和定植,并产生较大的生物量(DM1．4～3．2t·km^-2),表现出对酸性尾矿环境的一定的适应性．与未栽培长喙田菁的对照相比,栽培长喙田菁处理以及栽培长喙田菁并压青处理分别使多花黑麦草的生物量提高了4．8％～39．5％和7．7％～139．5％,其中压青处理又比不压青处理提高了2．7％～75．8％．“长喙田菁-多花黑麦草”植被系列是一个成功的铅锌矿尾矿废弃地复垦的先锋阶段     

宽瓣头细蛾形态及生物学特性研究

宽瓣头细蛾Epicephala lativalvaris Li, Wang & Zhang是最近发现在黑面神Breynia fruticosa和喙果黑面神B. rostrata上专性传粉的昆虫。通过野外观察宽瓣头细蛾的访花行为、 室内饲养宽瓣头细蛾幼虫及解剖黑面神和喙果黑面神果实, 首次对其个体发育过程中各虫态的形态特征及生活习性和生活史进行了详细研究。结果表明： 宽瓣头细蛾的生活史因气候的不同而出现差异, 其在福建厦门1年发生4~5代, 有4个羽化主要高峰期, 分别为5月上旬至中旬、 6月中旬至下旬、 8月及9月下旬至10月上旬, 11月中下旬有少数成虫羽化, 12月上旬至次年4月中旬以卵或蛹越冬; 而在海南鹦哥岭1年发生6代, 无越冬现象。成虫分别主动为黑面神或喙果黑面神传粉并将卵产于子房内, 幼虫以寄主植物种子为食, 需要消耗果实内全部6粒种子才能发育成熟, 但每个种群内留有20.37%~77.63%完好的果实, 以维持互利关系的稳定。两种植物的结实率近似, 但宽瓣头细蛾对喙果黑面神的果实危害率是黑面神的2.05倍。结果说明, 在宽瓣头细蛾 黑面神和喙果黑面神专性传粉互利共生关系中, 两种寄主植物所获得的利益近似, 但喙果黑面神为宽瓣头细蛾提供了更多的回报。研究结果为头细蛾属其他种类生物学特性的了解提供了借鉴, 并为探讨宽瓣头细蛾 黑面神和喙果黑面神专性传粉互利共生关系稳定性的维持机制提供了基本依据。     

The Sesbania Root Symbionts Sinorhizobium saheli and S. teranga bv. sesbaniae Can Form Stem Nodules on Sesbania rostrata, although They Are Less Adapted to Stem Nodulation than Azorhizobium caulinodans

Sesbania species can establish symbiotic interactions with rhizobia from two taxonomically distant genera, including the Sesbania rostrata stem-nodulating Azorhizobium sp. and Azorhizobium caulinodans and the newly described Sinorhizobium saheli and Sinorhizobium teranga bv. sesbaniae, isolated from the roots of various Sesbania species. A collection of strains from both groups were analyzed for their symbiotic properties with different Sesbania species. S. saheli and S. teranga bv. sesbaniae strains were found to effectively stem nodulate Sesbania rostrata, showing that stem nodulation is not restricted to Azorhizobium. Sinorhizobia and azorhizobia, however, exhibited clear differences in other aspects of symbiosis. Unlike Azorhizobium, S. teranga bv. sesbaniae and S. saheli did not induce effective stem nodules on plants previously inoculated on the roots, although stem nodulation was arrested at different stages. For Sesbania rostrata root nodulation, Sinorhizobium appeared more sensitive than Azorhizobium to the presence of combined nitrogen. S. saheli and S. teranga bv. sesbaniae were effective symbionts with all Sesbania species tested, while Azorhizobium strains fixed nitrogen only in symbiosis with Sesbania rostrata. In a simple screening test, S. saheli and S. teranga bv. sesbaniae were incapable of asymbiotic nitrogenase activity. Thus, Azorhizobium can easily be distinguished from Sinorhizobium among Sesbania symbionts on the basis of symbiotic and free-living nitrogen fixation. The ability of Azorhizobium to overcome the systemic plant control appears to be a stem adaptation function. This last property, together with its host-specific symbiotic nitrogen fixation, makes Azorhizobium highly specialized for stem nodulation of the aquatic legume Sesbania rostrata.     

Rates of development of Hydrotaea rostrata under summer and winter (cyclic and constant) temperature regimes

The black carrion fly Hydrotaea rostrata Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Muscidae) is a muscid, which occurs on approximately one-third of decomposing human corpses involved in homicide cases in south-western Australia. Work to date on its development rates is scant with only one published source available. The current study measured the precise developmental rates of this species using high repetition and sampling rates. A comparison was made of the developmental rates between constant and cyclic temperatures in winter and summer temperature regimes in south-western Australia. Developmental times for 90% of first stage larvae to emerge as adult flies are: summer constant, 21.6days, summer cyclic, 23.5 days, winter constant 64.5days and winter cyclic, 48.3 days. These data will allow forensic entomologists to make more accurate determinations of post-mortem intervals in cases where H. rostrata life history stages are present.     

Chemical Components in the Bark of Magnolia rostrata W. W. Smith

From the bark of Magnolia rostrata W. W. Smith (Magnoliaceae), the honokiol(1) mp. 87.5 ℃ and the magnolol (Ⅱ) mp. 102 ℃ was isolated. Moreover, it can be proved that the bark of Magnolia rostrata W. W. Smith contains β-eudesmol in the essential oil.     

The uptake of potassium by Carex species from swamp habitats varying from oligotrophic to eutrophic

Short-term potassium uptake by excised roots was investigated in Carex species from swamps, ranging from oligotrophic to eutrophic. The range of species from oligotrophic to eutrophic habitat is: C. rostrata Stokes, C. limosa L., C. lasiocarpa Ehrh., C. diandra Schrank, C. hudsonii A. Benn., and C. acutiformis Ehrh. After a short period of potassium starvation the species of the oligotrophic habitat showed a fast potassium uptake rate while the species of the eutrophic habitat showed lower uptake rates. Uptake by all species except C. rostrata and C. diandra was reduced at pH 4.0. Potassium uptake at low potassium concentrations was greatly increased by a period of starvation for potassium especially in the eutrophic species. The results on potassium stress are compared with the ecology of the species and with the reaction of the same Carex species to phosphate stress.     

Aosa sigmoidea, a new species of the genus Aosa (Loasaceae) from Brazil

A new species of Aosa (Loasaceae) is described from Minas Gerais in Brazil. A. sigmoidea clearly is a close relative of Aosa rostrata from the same area. The plant differs in being very much taller (2 m in A. sigmoidea in comparsion to 0.05–0.30 m in A. rostrata ) and in having capsules with a clavate inferior portion which is 7–10 mm long while the inferior capsule portion in A. rostrata is hemisphaerical and only 1.5–2 mm in diameter.     

Hematology of three deep-sea fishes: a reflection of low metabolic rates

Blood was collected from three species of fish, Antimora rostrata (Moridae), Lycodes esmarkii (Zoarcidae), Macrurus berglax (Macrouridae), caught at depths ranging from 280 to 2300 m. Hemoglobin concentrations were low in all three species, ranging from 4.4 to 5.4 g/100 ml. Mean erythrocyte volumes were relatively large, and ranged from 277 micron3 in M. berglax to 672 micron3 in A. rostrata. Blood oxygen dissociation curves were hyperbolic, with relatively low Hill constants (0.95-1.26). Mean P50 values ranged from 10 mmHg in M. berglax to 28 mmHg in L. esmarkii. It is concluded that the hematology and oxygen-binding characteristics of the blood of these three deep-sea fish reflects adaptations to low metabolic rates and low general activity habits.     

Differential effects of origin and salinity rearing conditions on growth of glass eels of the American eel Anguilla rostrata: implications for stocking programmes

In this study, growth patterns were monitored in controlled fresh and brackish water (BW) conditions for 7 months during Anguilla rostrata glass eel and elver stages. Null hypotheses tested were that there is no significant difference in growth between glass eels (1) collected from two geographic regions typified by different sex ratios, (2) reared in fresh and BW and (3) due to origin × salinity interactions. It was found that young A. rostrata from Mira River (MR, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada, an area where both males and females occur) grew faster than those from Grande-Rivière-Blanche (Québec, Canada, an area where population are highly skewed towards females; 99–100%). Anguilla rostrata from both origins also grew faster in BW, although there was a trend for origin × salinity interactions whereby this effect was more pronounced for fish from the MR. The results support the hypothesis that salinity can influence growth patterns, as possibly can quantitative genetic differences between A. rostrata glass eels from different origins. Possible explanations for these patterns and potential consequences for sex determination and translocation programmes are discussed.     

Anguilla rostrata glass eel migration and recruitment in the estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence

This study describes catches of Anguilla rostrata glass eels and associated oceanographic conditions in the St Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. Ichthyoplankton survey data suggest that they enter the Gulf primarily in May, migrate at the surface at night, and disperse broadly once they have passed Cabot Strait. They arrive in estuaries beginning at about mid-June and through the month of July. Migration extends west up to Québec City, in the freshwater zone of the St Lawrence Estuary, 1000 km west of Cabot Strait. Anguilla rostrata glass eels travel between Cabot Strait and receiving estuaries at a straight-line ground speed of c. 10–15 km day⁻¹. Catches of fish per unit effort in estuaries in the St Lawrence system are much lower than those reported for the Atlantic coast of Canada. Low abundance of A. rostrata glass eels in the St Lawrence system may be due to cold surface temperatures during the migration period which decrease swimming capacity, long distances from the spawning ground to Cabot Strait and from Cabot Strait to the destination waters (especially the St Lawrence River), complex circulation patterns, and hypoxic conditions in bottom waters of the Laurentian Channel and the St Lawrence Estuary.