Induced responses of Coffea arabica to attack of Coccus viridis stimulate locomotion of the herbivore

The green scale, Coccus viridis (Green) (Hemiptera: Coccidae), is an insect pest of coffee and several other perennial cultivated plant species. We investigated changes in alkaloid and phenolic contents in coffee plants as a response to herbivory by this insect. Greenhouse‐grown, 11‐month‐old coffee plants were artificially infested with the coccid and compared with control, uninfested plants. Leaf samples were taken at 15, 30, 45, and 60 days after infestation, and high‐performance liquid chromatography was used to identify and quantify alkaloid and phenolic compounds induced by the coccids at each sampling date. Of the compounds investigated, caffeine was the main coffee alkaloid detected in fully developed leaves, and its concentration in infested plants was twice as high as in the control plants. The main coffee phenolics were caffeic and chlorogenic acid, and a significant increase in their concentrations occurred only in plants infested by C. viridis. A positive and significant relationship was found between alkaloid and phenolic concentrations and the infestation level by adults and nymphs of C. viridis. Caffeine and chlorogenic acid applied on coffee leaves stimulated the locomotory activity of the green scale, thus reducing their feeding compared to untreated leaves. This is the first study to show increased levels of coffee alkaloids and phenolics in response to herbivory by scale insects. The elevation of caffeine and chlorogenic acid levels in coffee leaves because of C. viridis infestation seems to affect this generalist insect by stimulating the locomotion of crawlers.     

Effect of coffee alkaloids and phenolics on egg-laying by the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella

The recognized importance of coffee alkaloids and phenolics mediating insect-plant interactions led to the present investigation aiming to test the hypothesis that the phenolics chlorogenic and caffeic acids and the alkaloid caffeine and some of its derivatives present in coffee leaves affect egg-laying by the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera (=Perileucoptera) coffeella (Guérin-Méneville & Perrottet) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), one of the main coffee pests in the Neotropical region. These phytochemicals were, therefore, quantified in leaves from 12 coffee genotypes and their effect on the egg-laying preference by the coffee leaf miner was assessed. Canonical variate analysis and partial canonical correlation provided evidence that increased leaf levels of caffeine favour egg-laying by the coffee leaf miner. An egg-laying preference bioassay was, therefore, carried out to specifically test this hypothesis using increasing caffeine concentrations sprayed on leaves of one of the coffee genotypes with the lowest level of this compound (i.e. Hybrid UFV 557-04 generated from a cross between Coffea racemosa Lour. and C. arabica L.). The results obtained allowed the recognition of a significant concentration-response relationship, providing support for the hypothesis that caffeine stimulates egg-laying by the coffee leaf miner in coffee leaves.     

Growth and biochemical alterations in coffee due to selenite toxicity

Two experiments were conducted to investigate selenite toxicity in coffee (Coffea arabica cv. Catuaí). In the first aqueous selenite solution (10 µM Na₂SeO₃) was used to infiltrate leaves of an adult coffee plant. The infiltrated leaves and fruits adjacent to them showed enhanced contents of caffeine and soluble sugars. Amino acid contents were not affected, whereas pigments (chlorophylls, carotenoids and xanthophylls) exhibited a significant decrease. In the second experiment, coffee seedlings were irrigated with aqueous selenite solutions (10,100 and 1000 µM Na₂SeO₃) and the first and third pairs of leaves were analyzed. Control plants did not receive selenium. The plants were not different in height, but at the highest selenium concentration showed lower dry matter accumulation in roots and leaves, lower leaf area and thicker leaves. Increases in caffeine and soluble sugars were observed in the first pair of leaves at the highest selenium concentration, although selenium content itself increased steadily with increasing solution concentration. Phenols increased in both leaf pairs and pigments decreased in the third pair. Nitrate reductase activity, measured in the second leaf pair, was much lower at all selenium levels. The profile of free amino acid was altered in leaves of plants treated with selenium.     

干热区小粒咖啡提质增产的灌水和遮荫耦合模式

通过大田试验研究了灌水量分别为充分灌水的100%(CI)、75%(DI75)和50%(DI50)3个灌水水平和光照强度分别为自然光的100%(T100)、70%(T70)、55%(T55)和40%(T40)4个遮荫水平对小粒咖啡生长、产量及品质的影响,并建立了不同灌水和遮荫水平下小粒咖啡产量和品质的综合效益评价模型.结果表明:与CI相比,DI75增加小粒咖啡干豆中脂肪和绿原酸含量6.0%和10.2%,DI50显著增加咖啡因含量,而降低水分利用效率.与T100相比,T70增加干豆产量和水分利用效率27.2%和26.8%,增加干豆中总糖和绿原酸含量6.3%和5.5%.而T55和T40显著减少干豆产量、水分利用效率,以及干豆中咖啡因和绿原酸含量.与CIT100相比,DI75T70提高干豆产量和水分利用效率28.0%和44.5%,增加咖啡干豆中总糖、蛋白质、脂肪和绿原酸含量分别为12.2%、14.7%、6.6%和10.0%,而减小咖啡因含量8.3%.综合分析表明,DI75T70(灌水量为充分灌水的75%和70%的自然光照)的产量和品质的综合效益最优,可以实现小粒咖啡的优质高产和节水高效.     

Indirect interactions between ant-tended hemipterans, a dominant ant Azteca instabilis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and shade trees in a tropical agroecosystem

The occurrence, intensity, and composition of mutualisms are dependent not only on the co-occurrence of mutualists, but also the broader biotic context in which they are embedded. Here, the influence of the specific nest tree identity of the ant Azteca instabilis (F. Smith) on the density of the green coffee scale (Coccus viridis Green) was studied in a coffee agroecosystem in southern Mexico. The hypothesis that an indirect competitive interaction for ant attendance occurs between a scale species (Octolecanium sp. Kondo) in the canopy of the shade tree Inga micheliana Harms and C. viridis, which inhabits coffee bushes (Coffea arabica) beneath the shade trees was tested. Coffee bushes beneath a different shade tree species (Alchornea latifolia Swartz) were used as an indication of C. viridis density in a noncompetitive environment. Results indicate that C. viridis occurs in significantly lower density adjacent to nests in Inga, supporting the hypothesis of indirect competition. Additional experimentation suggests that there is a mutualism between Azteca and Octolecanium and that this interaction may be mediated by a hierarchy in ant attendance of scale insects. Our results show the importance of considering the biotic context of ant-hemipteran mutualisms. In coffee agroecosystems, consideration of shade tree diversity and species composition may be directly applicable to the biological control of insect pests.     

绿咖啡豆中低咖啡因绿原酸的提取分离研究

建立高效液相色谱—双波长同时检测咖啡豆提取物中绿原酸和咖啡因含量的方法。咖啡因和绿原酸在0.2～1.0 mg·mL-1范围内，峰面积与浓度呈现良好的线性关系。咖啡因：Y＝44077X＋227.78，R＝0.9997，RSD＝0.78%；绿原酸：Y＝34896X＋289.96，R＝0.9995, RSD＝0.93%。以绿原酸含量为指标，在单因素试验基础上建立正交试验，确定从绿咖啡豆中提取绿原酸的最佳条件为乙醇浓度20%，液料比6∶1，提取时间60 min，提取温度70 ℃。以咖啡因和绿原酸含量为指标，通过萃取试验，确定最佳脱咖啡因萃取剂为环己烷-三氯甲烷-丙酮混合溶剂，萃取工艺为1.5倍体积萃取剂萃取3次，产物中咖啡因含量由(3.52±0.08)%下降至(0.47±0.11)%。     

Interactions between white mealybugs and red spider mites sequentially colonizing coffee plants

Plants under herbivore attack often respond defensively by mounting chemical and physical defences. However, some herbivores can manipulate plant defences to their own benefit by suppressing the expression of induced defences. These herbivore‐induced changes specific to the attacking herbivore can either facilitate or impede the colonization and establishment of a second herbivore. Although recent studies have focused on the effect of multiple herbivory on plant induced response and the third trophic level, few have examined the ecological relevance of multiple herbivores sharing the host. Here, we investigated whether herbivory by the white mealybug Planococcus minor (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) or the red spider mite Olygonychus ilicis (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), two herbivores that peak in coffee plantations during the dry season, may facilitate the colonization and establishment of the other species in coffee plants. Dual‐choice arena tests showed that white mealybugs preferred mite‐infested over uninfested coffee plants as hosts. Fifteen days after the release of 50 first‐instar P. minor nymphs, greater numbers of nymphs and adults were found on mite‐infested than uninfested plants, indicating superior performance on mite‐infested plants. On the other hand, female red spider mites did not show clear preference between uninfested and mealybug‐infested plants and deposited similar numbers of eggs on both treatments. In a no‐choice test, red spider mites performed poorly on mealybug‐infested plants with a smaller number of eggs, nymphs, females and males found in mealybug‐infested plants relative to uninfested plants. Thus, our results indicate that coffee plants are more likely to be infested by the red spider mite before white mealybug, rather than the inverse sequence (i.e. mealybug infestation followed by red spider mites). Our findings are discussed in the context of plant manipulation reported for pseudococcid mealybugs and spider mites.     

Impact of the Coffea canephora gene introgression on beverage quality of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. arabica</Emphasis>

Lines of Coffea arabica derived from the Timor Hybrid (hybrid between C. arabica and C. canephora) are resistant to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) and to the nematode Meloidogyne exigua. The introgression of C. canephora resistance genes is suspected of causing a drop in beverage quality. Coffee samples from pure lines, compared in a Trial 1, and from F1 hybrids and parental lines from a half-diallel trial in a Trial 2, were studied for beverage quality, chemical composition and amount of introgressed genetic material. Chemical analyses (caffeine, chlorogenic acids, fat, trigonelline, sucrose) were carried out with near-infrared spectrometry by reflectance of green coffee. The number of amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers introgressed from the Timor Hybrid varied from 1 to 37 for the lines studied. There were significant differences between lines for all of the biochemical compounds analysed and for the acidity and the overall standard of the beverage. Two lines (T17927, T17924) were significantly poorer than the controls for sucrose and beverage acidity. T17924 also had more chlorogenic acids and was poorer for the overall standard. However, two highly introgressed lines, T17934 and T17931 (25 and 30 AFLP markers, respectively), did not differ from the non-introgressed controls. There were no correlations between the number of AFLP markers and the chemical contents or beverage attributes. Significant correlations were found between the performance of the parents and their general combining ability for beverage quality. It was concluded that it should be possible to find lines with both the desired resistance genes and good beverage quality. Selection can avoid accompanying the introgression of resistance genes with a drop in beverage quality.     

Dynamic changes in photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence in Nicotiana tabacum infested by Bemisia tabaci (Middle East–Asia Minor 1) nymphs

Bemisia tabaci Middle East–Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) is a worldwide pest. To determine whether MEAM1 nymphs produce the same symptoms in different host plants, we measured the plant growth and chlorophyll content of tobacco and cotton plants that were infested by MEAM1 nymphs. Furthermore, to investigate the spatial and temporal changes in photosynthesis caused by MEAM1 nymphs, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and chlorophyll a fluorescence of local and systemic tobacco leaves were assayed at 8, 11, 14, and 20 days after MEAM1 adult removal, which represent the stages of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th instar nymphs, respectively. The results showed that MEAM1 nymph infestation reduced the plant height and internode length of tobacco at 14 and 20 days, as well as the dry weight of infested and systemic tobacco leaves. However, MEAM1 nymph infestation did not affect the plant height or internode length of cotton. Also, the dry weight and chlorophyll and carotenoid content of infested and systemic leaves of cotton plants were not influenced by MEAM1 nymph infestation. However, the contents of chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids in infested tobacco leaves decreased over time; the chlorophyll a content of systemic tobacco leaves decreased at 11, 14, and 20 days. The chlorophyll and carotenoid contents in infested and systemic leaves of cotton plants were not influenced by MEAM1 nymph infestation. In addition, the Pn of infested tobacco leaves decreased at 14 and 20 days, while the Pn in systemic tobacco leaves decreased after 11 days. The greatest decrease in performance index on absorption basis (PI _ABS ) of infested and systemic tobacco leaves occurred on day 14. The fluorescence intensity at 2 ms (J peak) and 300 μs (K peak) increased on day 14, which indicates that 3rd instar nymphs caused serious damage to the primary photochemical reactions and donor side of PSII. These results suggest that MEAM1 nymph infestation had different effects on tobacco and cotton plants. The infestation caused spatial and temporal changes in photosynthesis in tobacco plants. The lower chlorophyll a content may have been related to the lower net photosynthetic rate of systemic and infested tobacco leaves. The decreased stability of the oxygen-evolving complex and the reaction center of PSII and the decrease in electron transport were the main reasons for the decrease in the level of photosynthesis in tobacco leaves caused by MEAM1 nymphs during various stages of infestation.     

Inhibition of caffeine biosynthesis in tea (Camellia sinensis) and coffee (Coffea arabica) plants by ribavirin

The effects of ribavirin, an inhibitor of inosine-5'-monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase, on [8-(14)C]inosine metabolism in tea leaves, coffee leaves and coffee fruits were investigated. Incorporation of radioactivity from [8-(14)C]inosine into purine alkaloids, such as theobromine and caffeine, guanine residues of RNA, and CO(2) was reduced by ribavirin, while incorporation into nucleotides, including IMP and adenine residues of RNA, was increased. The results indicate that inhibition of IMP dehydrogenase by ribavirin inhibits both caffeine and guanine nucleotide biosynthesis in caffeine-forming plants. The use of IMP dehydrogenase-deficient plants as a potential source of good quality caffeine-deficient tea and coffee plants is discussed.     

Phenolic compounds induced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bemisia tabaci</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trialeurodes vaporariorum</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nicotiana tabacum</Emphasis> L. and their relationship with the salicylic acid signaling pathway

Changes in the levels of secondary compounds can trigger plant defenses. To identify phenolic compounds induced by Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) in tobacco (Nicotiana tobacco L.), the content changes of 11 phenolic compounds in plants infested by B. tabaci MEAM1 or Trialeurodes vaporariorum were compared. The chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, rutin, and ferulic acid contents in B. tabaci MEAM1-infested tobacco plants increased significantly, having temporal and spatial effects, compared with uninfested control and T. vaporariorum infested plants. The contents were 4.10, 2.84, 2.25, 3.81, 1.46, and 1.91 times higher, respectively, than those in the control. However, a T. vaporariorum nymphal infestation just caused smaller chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, and rutin contents increase, which were 2.33, 2.13, 1.59, and 3.19 times higher, respectively, than those in the control. In B. tabaci MEAM1 third-instar nymph-infested plants, chlorogenic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, and rutin increased more significantly in systemic than in local leaves. Salicylate-deficient plants inhibited the induction of the content of 10 phenolic compounds, but not caffeic acid, after a B. tabaci MEAM1 nymphal infestation. Thus, the elevated levels of phenolic compounds induced by B. tabaci MEAM1 were correlated with the salicylic acid signaling pathway and induced the responses of defense-related phenolic compounds.     

施肥对小粒咖啡生长、光合特性和产量的影响

采用田间实验,研究了不同N、P、K匹配对3年生小粒咖啡生长、光合特性以及产量的影响．结果表明,N的缺乏对小粒咖啡生长、光合特性和产量的影响最大,其次为K,而P的影响相对较小．叶面喷施适量的微量元素(B、Zn)可明显增加产量．N、P、K不同水平的匹配对小粒咖啡有不同的影响,N：P2O5：K2O的最佳匹配比例为1：0．5：1．小粒咖啡需要高营养的投入,而从投入．产出的效益分析表明,N、P,O5、K2O的合适用量分别为100、50和100g／株．小粒咖啡产量与单株分枝数和单株叶面积密切相关,与最大净光合速率呈显著正相关,但与苗高、地茎的相关性不显著．不同施肥处理对小粒咖啡黎明光化学效率影响不大,但高的施肥量明显减轻咖啡的日间光抑制．     

Regulation of Purine Metabolism in Intact Leaves of Coffea arabica

The capacity of Coffea arabica leaves (5- x 5-mm pieces) to synthesize de novo and catabolize purine nucleotides to provide precursors for caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) was investigated. Consistent with de novo synthesis, glycine, bicarbonate, and formate were incorporated into the purine ring of inosine 5[prime]-monophosphate (IMP) and adenine nucleotides ([sigma]Ade); azaserine, a known inhibitor of purine de novo synthesis, inhibited incorporation. Activity of the de novo pathway in C. arabica per g fresh weight of leaf tissue during a 3-h incubation period was 8 [plus or minus] 4 nmol of formate incorporated into IMP, 61 [plus or minus] 7 nmol into [sigma]Ade, and 150 nmol into caffeine (the latter during a 7-h incubation). Coffee leaves exhibited classical purine catabolism. Radiolabeled formate, inosine, adenosine, and adenine were incorporated into hypoxanthine and xanthine, which were catabolized to allantoin and urea. Urease activity was demonstrated. Per g fresh weight, coffee leaf squares incorporated 90 [plus or minus] 22 nmol of xanthine into caffeine in 7 h but degraded 102 [plus or minus] 1 nmol of xanthine to allantoin in 3 h. Feedback control of de novo purine biosynthesis was contrasted in C. arabica and Cucurbita pepo, a species that does not synthesize purine alkaloids. End-product inhibition was demonstrated to occur in both species but at different enzyme reactions.     

Resistance inducers applied alone or in association with fungicide for the management of leaf rust and brown eye spot of coffee under field conditions

The use of resistance inducers is a promising development in the management of plant diseases, owing to their ability to control a broad spectrum of pathogens and improve the efficacy of fungicides. This study evaluates different sources of phosphonates (potassium, manganese, copper), a formulation prepared from the by‐products of the coffee industry (Greenforce CuCa), as well as the effects of their application, alone or in association with fungicide, in the management of two important coffee fungal diseases in Brazil: leaf rust and brown eye spot, caused by Hemileia vastatrix and Cercospora coffeicola, respectively. The effect of these products on defoliation, productivity and chemical composition of coffee beans (content of trigonelline, chlorogenic acid, caffeine and total soluble solids) was evaluated. Among all the alternative products tested individually, potassium phosphonate (P₂O₅—33.6% + K₂O—29%) stood out, particularly for rust control, which was similar to the results of fungicide treatments. Treatments with fungicide, Greenforce CuCa and cuprous oxide, individually, caused less plant defoliation. Regarding the chemical composition of the coffee beans, the manganese phosphonate treatment showed the highest values for trigonelline, chlorogenic acid, caffeine and total soluble solid content. The results of this study show that resistance inducers can be useful in disease management, may come to eventually replace traditional fungicides and can also contribute to the beverage quality.     

田间不同水肥管理下小粒咖啡的生长和光合特性

通过云南5年生田间小粒咖啡(Coffea arabica)进行2种施肥(低肥和高肥)和在干季秸秆覆盖、滴灌、秸秆覆盖+滴灌、对照4种水分处理对植株生长和叶片光合特性影响的测定研究．结果表明,小粒咖啡一年生长周期中最高峰期在雨季始期,次高峰期在雨季中期．水分处理对生长高峰期株高和分枝长度的相对生长率没有显著作用,高施肥量则加大了其相对生长率．干季水分处理提高了叶片的Pn、gs、Tr和WUE,而叶绿素的荧光特征没有受到影响．在湿季,高施肥量使叶片含氮量Pn增加,对gs和Tr的影响较小,从而导致WUE提高,高施肥量显著减小日间光抑制程度,加大了光合机构的实际光化学效率和热耗散能力,提高了对强光环境的适应性,研究表明,小粒咖啡需要高养分的投入和良好的水分管理,湿季是小粒咖啡进行光合和生长的最优季节,干季田间秸秆覆盖+滴灌的效果较好,滴灌和秸秆覆盖的效果相近。     

褐飞虱侵害对水稻叶片、根SOD活性及丙二醛含量的影响

以分蘖期水稻协优963、TN1为供试材料,研究褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens(St(a)l)侵害后水稻叶片、根超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性、丙二醛(MDA)含量变化情况.结果表明:协优963、TN1叶片SOD活性变化不明显;15和30头/株侵害协优963后3、6、9d根SOD活性分别显著下降了88.4%和7...     

Soil potassium deficiency affects soybean phloem nitrogen and soybean aphid populations

The soybean aphid is an invasive pest in the midwest United States, with frequent population outbreaks. Previous work has shown that aphid population densities are higher on potassium-deficient soybean than on healthy soybean. The experiments reported here test the hypotheses that the potassium nutrition of the host plant affects the forms of phloem nitrogen available to soybean aphids, and subsequently, their abundance. In field surveys and an exclusion cage study when aphid populations were high, soybean plants with potassium deficiency symptoms had a higher density of soybean aphids than plants without deficiency symptoms. In clip cage experiments, this effect was caused by earlier aphid reproduction and higher numbers of aphid nymphs per mother on plants growing in lower-potassium soil. In phloem exudation samples, the percentage of asparagine, an important amino acid for aphid nutrition, increased with decreasing soil potassium, perhaps because of potassium's role in the nitrogen use of the plant. Taken together, these results show that soybean potassium deficiency can lead to higher populations of soybean aphid through a bottom-up effect. A possible mechanism for this relationship is that soybean potassium deficiency improves the nitrogen nutrition of these N-limited insects. By releasing these herbivores from N limitation, host plant potassium deficiency may allow soybean aphid populations to reach higher levels more rapidly in the field.