Studies on the pycnidial formation by Macrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) Ashby. Development of pycnidia and pycnidiospores

Summary An account on the pycnidial development of eight isolates ofM. phaseoli — five from cotton and the other, one each from castor, groundnut and sesame and also from a culture medium has been given. The pycnidial development ofM. phaseoli from cotton on a culture medium is extremely rare and pycnidia developed were having the outer wall consisting of only one layer of thickened cells and no clear ostiole. In the other isolates, all from the hosts, there were no differences in the development of pycnidia and pycnidiospores. All the isolates were true to the type speciesM. phaseoli.     

Interactions of soil fungi with Macrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) ashby,the cause of root rot of cotton

Summary Interactions of 46 isolates of fungi with an isolate ofM. phaseoli from cotton, was studied in agar culture. They were grouped into 4 different types of reactions.T. viride was found to inhibit the growth ofM. phaseoli and grow over its colony. The hyphae ofT. viride were observed to coil around the hyphae ofM. phaseoli. A majority of the isolates tested had no effect on the growth ofM. phaseoli. M. phaseoli, however, was found to overgrow the test fungi.     

Survival of Macrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) Ashby on cucurbit roots

Summary Experiments on the survival ofM. phaseoli on cucurbit root pieces were carried out. The sclerotia ofM. phaseoli were almost unaffected by 10 months dry storage in the laboratory. Under dry to moderately moist soil conditions it survived for 2 months with little loss of viability. In wet soils however, the buried root pieces were colonized by other soil microorganisms which prevented the growth ofM. phaseoli.     

Physiologic specialisation in Macrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) Ashby., causing stem rot of jute,corchorus species

With eight isolates ofMacrophomina phaseoli, pathogenicity test was conducted on twenty varieties of jute belonging to two species,Corchorus capsularis andC. olitorius. Against six isolates the varieties screened showed different degrees of disease reactions while against the remaining two, all the varieties gave similar resistant reaction. As differential varieties, a minimum of four recognised the seven physiological races ofMacrophomina phaseoli. From the cultural characteristics, however, all the eight isolates differed from each other and were fitted in a dichotomous key as eight cultural races.

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Zusammenfassung Mit acht Stämmen vonMacrophomina phaseoli sind Pathogenitätstest an zwanzig Varietäten von Jute durchgeführt worden, die zwei Arten:Corchorus capsularis undC. olitorius angehören. Gegen sechs Stämme zeigten die untersuchten Varietäten einen verschiedenen Grad der krankhaften Reaktionen, während gegen die restlichen zwei Stämme alle Varietäten gleichartige Widerstandsfähigkeit aufwiesen. Mindestens vier von den sieben physiologischen Rassen vonM. phaseoli sind erkannt worden. Betreffs der Kulturcharakteristik wichen alle acht Stämme von einander ab und sind als echte Kulturrassen beschrieben.

     

Interactions of actinomycetes with Macrophomina phaseoli (Maubl.) Ashby; The cause of root rot of cotton

Macrophomina phaseoli, the cause of root rot of cotton, was inhibited byStreptomyces albus, S. griseus andS. noursei in agar culture.S. aureofaciens, S. flaveolus, S. rimosus, S. scabies andS. venezuelae were non-antagonistic. Only the antagonisticStreptomyces were found to reduceMacrophomina infection on cotton seedlings in soil without any deleterious effect on cotton growth.     

Kinetic Studies on the Control of the Bean Rust Fungus (Uromyces phaseoli L.) by an Inhibitor of Polyamine Biosynthesis

α-Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), a specific and irreversible inhibitor of the polyamine biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase, effectively inhibits mycelial growth of several phytopathogenic fungi on defined media in vitro and provides systemic protection of bean plants against infection by Uromyces phaseoli L. race 0 (MV Rajam, AW Galston 1985 Plant Cell Physiol 26: 683-692; MV Rajam et al. 1985 Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 82: 6874-6878). We now find that application of 0.5 millimolar DFMO to unifoliolate leaves of Pinto beans up to 3 days after inoculation with uredospores of U. phaseoli completely inhibits the growth of the pathogen, while application 4 or 5 days after inoculation results in partial protection against the pathogen. Spores do not germinate on the surface of unifoliolate leaves treated with DFMO 1 day before infection, but addition of spermidine to the DFMO treatments partially reverses the inhibitory effect. The titer of polyamines in bean plants did not decline after DFMO treatment; rather, putrescine and spermidine contents actually rose, probably due to the known but paradoxical stimulation of arginine decarboxylase activity by DFMO.     

The significance of temperature during sporulation on the biology of pycnidiospores of Mycosphaerella ligiilicola

The germination, infectivity and survival of pycnidiospores obtained from cultures of Mycosphaerella ligulicola grown at 15 and 26 °C were compared. Spores formed at 26° (‘26° spores’) were less able to germinate at low relative humidities and showed a narrower temperature range for maximum germination after 6 h. At high spore densities 26° spores showed self-inhibition of germination and, over a range of lower densities, growth of their germ tubes was checked, which resulted in lower infection of leaf discs compared with 15° spores in which this phenomenon did not occur. The fungus could be recovered from un-sterile compost over a longer period after inoculation with 15° spores. Only after storage at a temperature well below zero was there a difference in viability between 15° and 26° spores. It is thought that the potential advantage of producing larger numbers of spores at 26° would be realized only under optimum conditions for dispersal and infection. The smaller number of spores produced at 15° are likely to be successful under natural conditions.     

Ethylene evolution by rust-infected,detached bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) leaves susceptible and hypersensitive to Uromyces phaseoli (Pers.) Wint.

Ethylene production in leaves of susceptible and hypersensitive varieties of beans has been followed after inoculation with Uromyces phaseoli. Four different states of ethylene evolution are distinguishable: (1) 13 h after inoculation and concomitant to the penetration of the fungal mycelium through the stomata, all varieties show an outburst of ethylene with significant differences between the three varieties. (2) After 36 h postinoculation, in all three varieties ethylene evolution is scarcely higher than in noninfected leaves. (3) Starting 59 h after inoculation, only in the hypersensitive variety 765 (which shows the lowest ethylene production after 13 h), a second, very strong ethylene outburst is observed. (4) From 125 h after inoculation, significant ethylene production is not observed in any variety. At this time, characteristic symptoms are expressed in susceptible leaves (differentiation of uredosori) and in the hypersensitive variety 765 (large brown necrotic spots); no macroscopic symptoms are observed in the hypersensitive variety 814, which exhibits the strongest ethylene outburst 13 h after inoculation. The capacity for ethylene formation after mechanical wounding (point freezing) is almost identical in healthy leaves of all three varieties. This capacity is still preserved after the first ethylene outburst 36 h after infection.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, by the Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht AG (Einbeck, FRG) and by a NATO fellowship to P.M.     

Studies on amino acid utilization in relation to virulence of Macrophomina phaseoli causing disease of jute (corchorus capsularis L.)

Amino acid utilization and synthetic capacity of two strains (JR & IR) ofMacrophomina phaseoli, a jute parasite, were compared in relation to their virulence. The effects of an extraneous supply of appropriate amino acid on the pathogenicity of the avirulent strain (IR) were also studied. Chromatographic and growth studies revealed that the avirulent strain contained a greater number of amino acids but its utilizing capacity was much lower than that of the virulent strain (JR). Out of 16 amino acids and an amide tested, phenylalanine was found to be most suitable for the growth of the IR strain, the optimum concentration being 0.5 per cent. This concentration did not, however, affect the resistance of the host after foliar application but temporarily increased the pathogenicity when it was given to the pathogen (IR) in vitro. Phenylalanine was detected neither in mycelia of the tested strains nor in the healthy roots of host plants under test conditions. Efficiency of amino acid utilization could be regarded as one of the important biochemical characteristics of the virulent species.     

The significance of worker size in the seasonal development of the wasps Vespula vulgaris (L.) and Vespula germanica (F.)

An account is given of the variation of worker size in Vespula vulgaris and V.germanica during the vespine season and of pupal size, as indicative of larval feeding conditions, on the same comb and on different combs in the same nest.     

Semienclosed Tube Cultures of Bean Plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for Enumeration of Rhizobium phaseoli by the Most-Probable-Number Technique

The semienclosed tube culture technique of Gibson was modified to permit growth of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) roots in humid air, enabling enumeration of the homologous (nodule forming) symbiont, Rhizobium phaseoli, by the most-probable-number plant infection method. A bean genotype with improved nodulation characteristics was used as the plant host. This method of enumeration was accurate when tubes were scored 3 weeks after inoculation with several R. phaseoli strains diluted from aqueous suspensions, peat-based inoculants, or soil. A comparison of population sizes obtained by most-probable-number tube cultures and plate counts indicated that 1 to 3 viable cells of R. phaseoli were a sufficient inoculant to induce nodule formation.     

The Effect of Temperature, Light and Leaf Age on the Frequency of Appressoria Formation and Infection with Uromyces phaseoli (Pers.) Wint.

The frequency of appressoria formation is reduced by changed conditions of infection such as adult leaves, higher temperature, or continuous light during penetration. In correlation with the reduced number of appressoria, the infection frequency decreases too. The behaviour of growing germ tubes on the plant surfaces did not show any indication of the fungus being led to the stomates by leaf surface structures. Obviously a recognition signal proceeds from the stomates sometimes helping the fungus to get into the leaf. Probably the gas exchange through the stomates is involved. Carbon dioxide, produced by the leaves in the dark, can build up pH-gradients towards the stomates as the inoculated leaves are covered with a water film.     

Comparison of the laccases, molecular marker proteins, and induction of pycnidia by three species of botryosphaeriaceous fungi

Three species of botryosphaeriaceous fungi,Botryosphaeria sp. isolate MAMB-5,Botryosphaeria ribis andLasiodiplodia theobromae, were compared for the production of pycnidia and laccases. Laccases were produced both intra- and extra-cellularly when the fungi were cultivated on basal medium in the presence and absence of veratryl alcohol, withBotryosphaeria sp. MAMB-5 showing the highest enzyme titres. Electrophoretic examination of intracellular marker proteins (esterases and phosphatases) and laccases indicated that the three species were genetically distinctly different, although the laccase zymograms for the three fungi showed similarity. The production of pycnidia occurred under continuous lighting at 28°C, but conditions differed among the three fungal species. Production could be induced on artificial media (potato-dextrose and oat agar) under stress-induced conditions where the mycelium was stimulated by physical abrasion, and in the case ofBotryosphaeria sp. isolate MAMB-5 on eucalypt woodchips. Evidence is presented that veratryl alcohol facillitated the secretion of intracellular-localised laccases into the extracellular medium.     

The effect of size and temperature on the predation of cockles Cerastoderma edule (L.) by the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.)

Laboratory studies demonstrated that shore crabs Carcinus maenas (L.) can consume <40 cockles Cerastoderma (= Cardium) edule (L.) per individual · day⁻¹. Various predation techniques used by the crabs are reported. The time required to open and consume individual cockles increased exponentially with prey size. Small (<l5-mm shell height), easily broken cockles appeared to be the most profitable in terms of energy acquisition per unit of handling time, the optimal size of prey increasing with predator size. With unlimited prey available, however, crabs selected prey of mean size smaller than these predicted optima, and much below the maximum size they were capable of opening. Feeding rates, both in terms of cockles ingested or energy intake per day, rose steeply with increasing temperature, but the size range of prey consumed remained unchanged. These data strongly suggest that Carcinus maenas is a potentially important predator of small cockles, particularly during the wanner summer months.     

牛角藓(Cratoneuron filicinum(Hedw.)Spruce)叶片形态特征的生态变异及其分类学意义

对200份牛角藓(Cratoneuron filicinum)标本的叶片长度、叶片宽度、中肋基部宽度、叶片中部细胞的宽度和长度、角部细胞的宽度和长度及叶片弯曲程度等特征进行线性回归分析.结果表明,在较低样本量时,来源于不同生境的牛角藓叶片各性状特征间的线性相关性不显著,来源于水生群落的牛角藓叶片各性状特征问的线性相关性显著.在样本量较大时,牛角藓叶片各性状特征间的线性关系相关性显著.说明牛角藓叶片的某些特征在自然选择压力下发生了变化,表现出较高的遗传多样性;这些特征虽然受环境影响而在形态上表现出变异,但总的趋势是相似的.