Ravenelia cenostigmatis, a new rust fungus from Brazil

Ravenelia cenostigmatis is described as a new species of plant rust (Uredinales) onCenostigma gardnerianum (Caesalpiniaceae) from Brazilian Cerrado. Teliospore heads ofR. cenostigmatis exhibit an unusually complex structure with four different kinds of cells: teliospore cells, sterile apical cells (intercalary between pedicel hyphae and teliospores), sterile hygroscopic cysts, and morphologically distinct border cells. The last are flattened, elaborately ornamented and probably sterile cells that are wedged between the teliospores and the cysts.Ravenelia cenostigmatis probably belongs to a natural assemblage of ravenelias that occur on caesalpiniaceous hosts and exhibit similar morphological traits. Part 179 of the series “Studies in Heterobasidiomycetous Fungi” of the Botanical Institute, University of Tübingen     

Uredo maua, sp. nov., andUromyces tairae: Additions to the rust flora of Hawai'i

Uredo maua, onXylosma hawaiiense (Flacourtiaceae), an endemic tree of Hawaiian forests, is newly described as an addition to Hawai'i's native rust flora.Uredo wakensis, originally described from Wake Island and reported from other Pacific islands onTournefortia argentea (Boraginaceae), represents the uredinial state ofUromyces tairae, described from Okinawa. This rust is newly reported from Hawai'i.     

A substance inducing teliospore production in wheat leaf rust,Puccinia recondita f. sp.tritici

A substance inducing teliospore production inPuccinia racondita f. sp.tritici was found in water and methanol extracts of wheat leaves with telia of the wheat leaf rust just before harvest time. Methanol (MeOH) and water extracts from uninfected wheat leaves also showed telia-inducing activity. However, the MeOH and water extracts from wheat leaves covered with telia showed much stronger activity than those from uninfected wheat leaves. We obtained a fraction (0.2 mg) showing activity at 2 ng/ml by purification of the water extract.     

In vitro spore formation and completion of the asexual life cycle of Neozygites parvispora, an obligate biotrophic pathogen of thrips

Capilliconidia, the asexual secondary spores of Neozygites parvispora (Zygomycetes, Entomophthorales) were produced in vitro either by entrapment of vegetative cells (hyphal bodies) in alginate pellets or after plating them onto water agar. Cultivation of the fungus for 3 days in a medium lacking hemolymph increased spore production 30 to 40-fold, and about 10% of the cells produced capilliconidia. The in vitro produced capilliconidia were infectious to Thrips tabaci and the fungus was reisolated from infected insects, thus completing its asexual life cycle under laboratory conditions. A decrease in capilliconidia production and a modification of the number of nuclei per spore were observed for isolates cultivated in vitro for more than 2 months, but subsequent host passages restored and increased sporulation efficiency without influencing the number of nuclei. Fungal cultures were stored at —80 °C for up to 7 months, and the capability to sporulate and infect T. tabaci was preserved. A bioassay procedure for infecting T. tabaci with N. parvispora is described, the first mycosed insects dying usually after 8 d of incubation.     

Limitations to seedling establishment in a mesic Hawaiian forest

While invasive species may be visible indicators of plant community degradation, they may not constitute the only, or even the primary, limitation to stand regeneration. We used seed-augmentation and grass-removal experiments under different canopy conditions to assess the relative importance of dispersal limitation, resource availability, and competition on seedling establishment in the understory shrubs Sophora chrysophilla, Dodonea viscosa, and Pipturus albidus in a montane mesic forest in Hawaii. The study location was an Acacia koa-Metrosideros polymorpha forest at 1000–1500 m elevation on the leeward side of Hawaii Island; it is a closed-canopy forest historically subject to logging and grazing by cattle and sheep and currently dominated by the exotic grass, Ehrharta stipoides, in the herb layer. Seedling establishment after 1 and 2 years was strongly dispersal limited in Sophora and Dodonea, but not in Acacia, a non-augmented species in which abundant seedlings established, nor in Pipterus, in which only one seedling established in 2 years. Grass cover reduced seedling establishment in Acacia, Sophora, and Dodonea and, for the latter two species, seedling establishment was substantially greater in the warmer, more moist forest at the lowest elevation. Light, moisture, and resin-captured N and P were more strongly affected by elevation and canopy composition than by grass cover, but in most cases seedling establishment was not positively correlated with resource availability. Limitations to the establishment of woody seedlings in this forest-grassland mixture vary among species; however, both dispersal limitation and competition from a shade-tolerant grass are important deterrents to regeneration in these forests.     

Puccinia carici-adenocauli, a new rust fungus onCarex, and its anamorph,Aecidium adenocauli

Field observations and inoculation experiments showed thatAecidium adenocauli onAdenocaulon himalaicum was an anamorph of aPuccinia onCarex hakonensis andC. uda. From comparative morphology with caricicolous puccinias, the rust on theseCarex species was considered as a new species and was named asPuccinia carici-adenocauli. Contribution No. 142, Laboratory of Plant Pathology and Mycology, Institute of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Tsukuba     

Pleoanamorphic life cycle ofExophiala (Wangiella) dermatitidis

The anamorph life cycle of the black yeastExophiala (Wangiella) dermatitidis is described. The fungus is dimorphic, yeast cells being the prevalent form of propagation. The fungus is strongly hydrophilic, probably completing its anamorph life cycle in submersion. Adaptation to dry conditions is slow. Types of conidiogenesis comprise annellidic, phialidic and sympodial reproduction, in addition to isotropic development. Phialoconidia fail to germinate under the conditions tested, and thus may have a function other than dispersal. Sterile, multicellular bodies resembling aCapronia teleomorph are described.     

A candidate for Lr19, an exotic gene conditioning leaf rust resistance in wheat

Lr19, one of the few widely effective genes conferring resistance to leaf rust in wheat, was transferred from the wild relative Thinopyrum ponticum to durum wheat. Since Lr19 confers a hypersensitive response to the pathogen, it was considered likely that the gene would be a member of the major nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-leucine-rich repeat (LRR) plant R gene family. NBS profiling, based on PCR amplification of conserved NBS motifs, was applied to durum wheat–Th. ponticum recombinant lines involving different segments of the alien 7AgL chromosome arm, carrying or lacking Lr19. Differential PCR products were isolated and sequenced. From one such sequence (AG15), tightly linked to Lr19, a 4,121-bp full-length cDNA was obtained. Its deduced 1,258 amino acid sequence has the characteristic NBS-LRR domains of plant R gene products and includes a coiled-coil (CC) region typical of monocots. The genomic DNA sequence showed the presence of two exons and a short intron upstream of the predicted stop codon. Homology searches revealed considerable identity of AG15 with the cloned wheat resistance gene Pm3a and a lower similarity with wheat Lr1, Lr21, and Lr10. Quantitative PCR on leaf-rust-infected and non-infected Lr19 carriers proved AG15 to be constitutively expressed, as is common for R genes. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

The life cycle of Laodicea indica (Laodiceidae,Leptomedusae, Cnidaria)

The life cycle of Laodicea indica is described. In the Bismarck Sea this species shows a normal alternation of generations in the wet season; but in the dry season the cycle is contracted, and planulae give rise to gonothecae without formation of a hydroid colony. Medusae are liberated about 3 d after planula settlement. This life cycle pattern is previously unreported in hydromedusae. The possible adaptive value of such a life cycle and the evolution of polyp reduction in hydromedusan life cycles are discussed.     

Partial purification and properties of extracellular chitinase produced by Acremonium obclavatum,an antagonist to the groundnut rust,Puccinia arachidis

An extracellular chitinase of Acremonium obclavatum was partially purified. It had an M _r of 45 kDa on SDS-PAGE, and was optimally active at pH 3 to 4 and 50°C. Hg and Mn (10 mm) inhibited activity. The chitinase hydrolysed colloidal chitin more rapidly than crude chitin or isolated A. obclavatum cell walls. The partially-purified enzyme inhibited uredospore germination and germ-tube growth of Puccinia arachidis.The authors are with the Centre for Advanced Study in Botany, University of Madras, Guindy campus, Madras 600 025, India     

The ultrastructure of dormant,germinating, and photo-inhibited uredospores of the rust fungusPuccinia graminis f. sp.tritici

Summary A comparison was made of fixed and non-fixed uredospores of the wheat stem rust fungusPuccinia graminis f. sp.tritici, using thin sectioning and freeze-etching. The latter technique yielded new information on the ultrastructure of dormant, germinating, and photo-inhibited uredospores, although the distribution of intramembranous particles (IMPs) was similar in each case. A stereological analysis of thin sectioned specimens provided quantitative data on organelle volumetric densities complementing the qualitative information. Evidence suggests that light acts by preventing the dissolution of wall material in the germ pore regions. Methylcis-ferulate, the uredospore self-inhibitor, is also believed to act at this stage in the germination process, and possible links between photo-inhibition and self-inhibition are discussed.     

小麦叶锈菌休眠与萌发夏孢子的差异表达

【目的】小麦叶锈菌引起的小麦叶锈病是小麦的重要病害之一,孢子萌发和侵入气孔是保证叶锈菌正常侵染寄主的重要前提。本研究旨在研究小麦叶锈菌夏孢子萌发的差异表达特性,为揭示萌发的机制及其与致病的关系提供依据。【方法】利用小麦叶锈菌致病类型THTT的休眠夏孢子和萌发夏孢子进行RNA-seq分析。【结果】在萌发夏孢子中筛选出相比休眠夏孢子上调表达的基因为4400个,下调基因5325个。GO富集分析发现,上调差异基因主要涉及细胞进程、有机物代谢、信号传导、单个有机体过程、催化酶活性等;下调基因主要涉及单组织过程、单个有机体细胞过程、有机物代谢过程、催化活性调节等过程。利用KEGG分析发现,差异基因共参与109条通路,从中筛选出两条与孢子萌发相关的通路——丝裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPK)信号通路和囊泡运输中的SNARE蛋白交流。10个基因的定量分析结果与基因数字表达谱分析结果一致。【结论】研究获得了叶锈菌孢子萌发及侵入气孔过程中的重要差异基因,研究结果为研究叶锈菌致病机制奠定基础。     

New geographical distribution and host records of rust fungi from northern Thailand

Ten species of rust fungi (Crossopsora 2, Maravalia 1, Pileolaria 1, Puccinia 1, Ravenelia 1, Sphaerophragmium 1, Uredo 2, and Uromyces 1) are newly recorded together with six new host plants in Thailand.Contribution no. 194, Laboratory of Plant Parasitic Mycology, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Japan     

Taxonomic implications of life cycle and basidium morphology of Ochropsora ariae and O. nambuana (Uredinales)

Ochropsora ariae was found to host-alternate between Anemone pseudo-altaica and Aruncus dioicus var. tenuifolius and Ochropsora nambuana between Anemone flaccida and Elaeagnus multiflora var. hortensis in Japan. Both species produced a sessile, thin-walled, cylindrical probasidium (teliospore), which turned into a four-celled metabasidium by continuous apical elongation of the probasidium. Several probasidia of O. nambuana were produced from a basal basidiogenous cell in a sorus hymenium. Life cycle and probasidium/metabasidium morphology showed the taxonomic identity of Ceraceopsora elaeagni with O. nambuana. Developmental morphology of the basidium found in the two Ochropsora species raised a question against the taxonomic separation of Ochropsora and Aplopsora.     

Accumulation of genes for susceptibility to rust fungi for which barley is nearly a nonhost results in two barley lines with extreme multiple susceptibility

Nonhost resistance is the most common type of resistance in plants. Understanding the factors that make plants susceptible or resistant may help to achieve durably effective resistance in crop plants. Screening of 109 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) accessions in the seedling stage indicated that barley is a complete nonhost to most of the heterologous rust fungi studied, while it showed an intermediate status with respect to Puccinia triticina, P. hordei-murini, P. hordei-secalini, P. graminis f. sp. lolii and P. coronata ff. spp. avenae and holci. Accessions that were susceptible to a heterologous rust in the seedling stage were much more or completely resistant at adult plant stage. Differential interaction between barley accessions and heterologous rust fungi was found, suggesting the existence of rust-species-specific resistance. In particular, many landrace accessions from Ethiopia and Asia, and naked-seeded accessions, tended to be susceptible to several heterologous rusts, suggesting that some resistance genes in barley are effective against more than one heterologous rust fungal species. Some barley accessions had race-specific resistance against P. hordei-murini. We accumulated genes for susceptibility to P. triticina and P. hordei-murini in two genotypes called SusPtrit and SusPmur, respectively. In the seedling stage, these accessions were as susceptible as the host species to the target rusts. They also showed unusual susceptibility to other heterologous rusts. These two lines are a valuable asset to further experimental work on the genetics of resistance to heterologous rust fungi.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-004-1319-1Abbreviations ff. spp Formae speciales - RIL Recombinant inbred line - DC Double cross - DC-S Progeny produced by selfing of double-cross plants     

Biological control of an alien tree, Acacia cyclops, in South Africa: impact and dispersal of a seed-feeding weevil, Melanterius servulus

Several Australian Acacia species have become highly invasive in a number of ecologically sensitive areas of South Africa. Many have useful attributes that, to an extent, have hampered biocontrol efforts by restricting potential agents to those reducing seed production whilst not affecting vegetative growth. The outcome of the introduction of a seed-feeding weevil, Melanterius servulus, against Acacia cyclops in 1994, was assessed by investigating the plant’s reproductive phenology, as well as levels of damage caused by the beetles. The study provided essential information on host/agent interactions and, on the build up and spread of populations of the agent. Seed damage is commonly as high as 90% (exceptionally it reaches 100%), and dispersal rates of the beetles on average is almost 2 km per year. The consistently high levels of seed damage achieved hold promise for the future of the program, however, its ultimate success will be further enhanced through the integration of biological control with other manual clearing operations that are currently employed on a large scale in South Africa.     

Rearing, release and establishment of imported predatory mites to control citrus rust mite in Israel

Citrus rust mite, Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmead), is a major pest of citrus in Israel. Five species of predatory mites: Amblyseius herbicolus Chant, Euseius victoriensis (Womersley), Euseius elinae (Schicha), Typhlodromus rickeri Chant and Euseius stipulatus (Athias-Henriot), were imported to improve the biological control of the pest. Mite rearing and sampling methods were developed and improved, and the predators were released. Recovery in some citrus orchards was recorded, but only E. victoriensis became established in the north of Israel.     

Aurantiosporium,a new genus forUstilago subnitens (Ustilaginales)

A new genus,Aurantiosporium Piepenbring, Vánky & Oberwinkler (Ustilaginales), is proposed for the smut speciesUstilago subnitens Schröter & Hennings onScleria melaleuca Reichb. The soral morphology, teliospore development, the ultrastructure of the teliospore wall and teliospore germination ofAurantiosporium subnitens, studied on collections from Costa Rica, are described for the first time. The character set ofA. subnitens including intercellular teliospore development, spores in irregular groups and light coloured spore walls with numerous layers in TEM is neither known fromUstilago norCintractia nor any other smut species.Part 113 in the series Studies inHeterobasidiomycetes from the Botanical Institute, University of Tübingen.     

Identification of a rust fungus onPinus pumila collected in the North Kurils, Russia

Morphological examination and PCR-RFLP analysis of the D1/D2 region in nuclear LSU rDNA were carried out to identify a rust fungus onPinus pumila collected in the North Kurils, Russia. Morphologically, the rust from the North Kurils was similar toPeridermium kurilense andEndocronartium sahoanum var.hokkaidoense in the spore surface structure, dimension and shape. In the RFLPs of the D1/D2 region it was identical toE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense andE. sahoanum var.sahoanum, but distinct fromCronartium ribicola. Therefore, the rust fungus onP. pumila collected in the North Kurils was identified asE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense. It was also clarified that a rust reported previously asP. kurilense was also identical withE. sahoanum var.hokkaidoense.     

Biology and life tables for the predaceous earwig,Doru taeniatum [Derm.: Forficulidae]

The biology of the earwig,Doru taeniatum (Dohrn), a reported predator ofSpodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), was studied in the laboratory.D. taeniatum under laboratory conditions was easily reared, mated readily and females tended eggs and first instar nymphs.D. taeniatum developed through 4 nymphal instars and reached imago in approximately 30 days. It is an omnivore in the laboratory and capable of developing and reproduction on plant pollen alone, and on Lepidoptera eggs (Sitotroga carealella) (Olivier) alone. Immatures developed most rapidly and females were most fecund when fed either a combination ofS. cereallea eggs and pollen, orS. cerealella eggs alone. Approved as TA 20744 by Director, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.