Effect of constant temperatures on germination, radial growth and virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae to three species of African tephritid fruit flies

The effect of temperatureon conidial germination, mycelial growth, andsusceptibility of adults of three tephritidfruit flies, Ceratitis capitata(Wiedemann), C. fasciventris (Bezzi) andC. cosyra (Walker) to six isolatesof Metarhizium anisopliae were studied inthe laboratory. There were significantdifferences among the isolates in the effect oftemperature on both germination and growth.Over 80% of conidia germinated at 20, 25 and30°C, while between 26 and 67% conidiagerminated at 35°C and less than 10% at15°C within 24 hours. Radial growth was slowat 15°C and 35°C with all of theisolates. The optimum temperature forgermination and mycelial growth was 25°C. Mortality caused by the six fungal isolatesagainst the three fruit fly species varied withtemperature, isolate, and fruit fly species.Fungal isolates were more effective at 25, 30and 35°C than at 20°C. The LT₉₀values decreased with increasing temperature upto the optimum temperature of 30°C. Therewere significant differences in susceptibilitybetween fly species to fungal infection at allthe temperatures tested.     

Effects of species of VA-mycorrhizal fungi on growth and mineral uptake of sorghum at different temperatures

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] plants were grown in growth chambers at 20, 25 and 30°C in a low P Typic Argiudoll (3.65 µg P g^–1 soil, pH 8.3) inoculated with Glomus fasciculatum, Glomus intraradices, and Glomus macrocarpum to determine effects of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAMF) species on plant growth and mineral nutrient uptake. Sorghum root colonization by VAMF and plant responses to Glomus species were temperature dependent. G. macrocarpum colonized sorghum roots best and enhanced plant growth and mineral uptake considerably more than the other VAMF species, especially at 30°C. G. fasciculatum enhanced shoot growth at 20 and 25°C, and mineral uptake only at 20°C. G. intraradices depressed shoot growth and mineral uptake at 30°C. G. macrocarpum enhanced shoot P, K, and Zn at all temperatures, and Fe at 25 and 30°C above that which could be accounted for by increased biomass. Sorghum plant growth responses to colonization by VAMF species may need to be evaluated at different temperatures to optimize beneficial effects.     

Root-zone temperature and salinity: Interacting effects on tillering,growth and element concentration in barley

The effects of root-zone salinity (0, 30, and 60 mmol L^–1 of NaCl) and root-zone temperature (10, 15, 20, and 25°C) and their interactions on the number of tillers, total dry matter production, and the concentration of nutrients in the roots and tops of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were studied. Experiments were conducted in growth chambers (day/night photoperiod of 16/8 h and constant air temperature of 20°C) and under water-culture conditions. Salinity and root temperature affected all the parameters tested. Interactions between salinity and temperature were significant (p<0.05) for the number of tillers, growth of tops and roots, and the concentration of Na, K, P in the tops and the concentration of P in the roots. Maximum number of tillers and the highest dry matter were produced when the root temperature was at the intermediate levels of 15 to 20°C. Effect of salinity on most parameters tested strongly depended on the prevailing root temperature. For example, at root temperature of 10°C addition of 30 mmol L^–1 NaCl to the nutrient solution stimulated the growth of barley roots; at root temperature of 25°C, however, the same NaCl concentration inhibited the root growth. At 60 mmol L^–1, root and shoot growth were maximum when root temperature was kept at the intermediate level of 15°C; most inhibition of salinity occurred at both low (10°C) and high (25°C) root temperatures. As the root temperature was raised from 10 to 25°C, the concentration of Na generally decreased in the tops and increased in the roots. At a given Na concentration in the tops or in the roots, respective growth of tops or roots was much less inhibited if the roots were grown at 15–20°C. It is concluded that the tolerance of barley plant to NaCl salinity of the rooting media appears to be altered by the root temperature and is highest if the root temperature is kept at 15 to 20°C.     

The dynamics of leaf extension in plants with diverse altitudinal ranges

Summary Rates of leaf extension have been studied with electronic auxanometers at mid-altitude in the Austrian Alps, where both low and high altitude species co-occur. The results demonstrate a clear differentiation in the temperature responses of extension between these two groups of species. For the low or mid-altitude species of Achillea millefolium, Agrostis stolonifera, Poa alpina and Rumex arifolius, the average rate of leaf extension increases from 0.1 to 0.4 mm h^-1 between 10 and 20° C. For the high-alpine species of Achillea erba-rotta ssp moschata, Poa alpina ssp vivipara and Polygonum viviparum the average rate of leaf extension was considerably lower from 0.016 to 0.064 mm h^-1, between 10 and 20° C.Leaf extension in the lowland species was not observed below an average temperature of about 5° C, whilst no limit was observed for the upland species, down to a temperature of about 0° C.In the cases of the dicotyledons that were studied, leaf plus petiole shrinkage was observed to occur, for as much as 2 to 4 h, during periods of high water vapour pressure deficits. This response was not observed for the monocotyledons.The observations of leaf extension show that daily totals of extension in species from high altitudies will be much less sensitive to day, to day variations in local climate than will the species from low altitudes. The lowland species will have higher rates of extension during clear and warm weather conditions but lower rates in cold, cloudy weather.     

Reduction of the nodulation barrier inMedicago laciniata by alteration of the root temperature

Medicago laciniata, an annual leguminous plant of Saharo-Sindian origin, is particularly refractory to root nodulation by most strains ofRhizobium meliloti. Using a series of such bacterial strains belonging to the 8 groups of Brockwell and Hely, and a variety of environmental conditions, it was noted that several normally non-nodulating strains (at 20°C) produced ineffective nodules at root temperatures of 24°C to 28°C. Nodulation at 20°C failed to occur in the presence of a wide variety of test compounds and physical conditions. No phytoalexins or anti-Rhizobium growth inhibitors were isolated from inoculated root tissue at any temperature. Temperature shift experiments indicated no infection of the root hairs at 20°C, and infection threads produced at the permissive root temperature failed to elongate after transfer to 20°C. However, if meristematic activity had been initiated in the inner root-cortical cells as a result of infection thread penetration at 28°C, no blockage of nodule maturation occurred upon subsequent transfer to 20°C root temperature. Nodules produced at 28°C were completely devoid of nitrogenase activity, although the apical (but not the distal) regions contained normal-appearing bacteriods, surrounded by enclosing membranes, and possessed a fully functional leghaemoglobin. A shortage of metabolic energy did not appear to be involved in the ineffective response. A hypothesis to explain the nodulation phenomenon observed was based on the observation in the roots of 2 factors present at 20°C but not at 28°C.     

Changes in percentage organic carbon content during ontogeny

Changes in percentage organic carbon content were assessed during the first five weeks of growth of Uniculm barley (Hordeum vulgare) and Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea) plants grown in controlled-environment conditions at two constant temperatures, 16° and 22°C. Foliage (leaf laminae), stem, and root material was assayed in both species, together with leaf sheaths of barley and cotyledon laminae of Brussels sprouts. In barley, there was a decline in percentage organic carbon content with increasing foliage age in plants grown at 22°C, but in sheath material there was no significant change at either temperature. Root material showed a decline in percentage carbon content at both growth temperatures, whereas stems showed the opposite trend. Similar results were found in Brussels sprouts, with an overall decline in percentage carbon content in foliage at 22°C and a rise in stem material at both growth temperatures. However, roots showed no significant change in percentage carbon content over the experimental period. The results demonstrate that percentage organic carbon content may change during plant growth.     

Effects of temperature on acaricidal and insecticidal activities of the benzoylureas flucycloxuron and diflubenzuron

Effects of temperature on the activity of flucycloxuron on larval stages of Panonychus ulmi (Koch), based on LC₅₀ values, were highly significant (P < 0.001) with temperature coefficients of-1.7 in both the ranges of 15° to 25°C and 20° to 30°C. The slopes of probit regression lines at 15° and 20°C were significantly steeper than those at 25° and 30°C. As a consequence the temperature coefficients based on LC₉₀ values were-4.4 and-2.2, for the 2 temperature ranges. The ovicidal activity of flucycloxuron on P. ulmi was low and was only statistically detectable at 20°C (LC₉₀ of 84 mg a.i./l). In studies with larvae of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), Spodeptera exigua (Hübner) and Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) probit regression lines were parallel over temperature. The activity of flucycloxuron on these five insect species was not affected by temperature. Based on LC₅₀ values, diflubenzuron showed positive temperature coefficients on P. xylostella of + 2.1 at 15° to 25°C and + 2.5 at 20° to 30°C. For S. littoralis the temperature coefficient was positive (+ 2.4) at 15° to 25°C but negative (-1.9) at the 20° to 30°C range. Temperature coefficients of diflubenzuron were neutral for A. aegypti, L. decemlineata and S. exigua. In the design and analysis of these studies special allowance was made for date effects and variation in natural mortality over temperature.     

Autecological investigations on marine diatoms 6:Rhizosolenia robusta Norman,Rhizosolenia imbricata Brightwell andRhizosolenia shrubsolei Cleve

The warm oligo-eurytherm diatomsRhizosolenia robusta Norman andRhizosolenia imbricata Brightwell were cultured to determine the temperature range for the best competitive position by growth. Comparison of their generation times with those of other diatoms indicate thatR. robusta reaches this position around 20 °C andR. imbricata above 25 °C. The temperature ranges for growth were 12 °C up to 28 °C forR. robusta and 12 °C to above 30 °C forR. imbricata. The use of both species as indicator species for warm water currents is discussed on account of their lower temperature limit. The cold oligo-eurytherm diatomRhizosolenia shrubsolei had a temperature range for growth of below –1.0 °C to 25 °C. Our experimental results demonstrate thatR. imbricata andR. shrubsolei can be considered separate species.     

Thermal tolerance,net CO2 exchange and growth of a tropical tree species, Ficus insipida, cultivated at elevated daytime and nighttime temperatures

Global warming and associated increases in the frequency and amplitude of extreme weather events, such as heat waves, may adversely affect tropical rainforest plants via significantly increased tissue temperatures. In this study, the response to two temperature regimes was assessed in seedlings of the neotropical pioneer tree species, Ficus insipida. Plants were cultivated in growth chambers at strongly elevated daytime temperature (39 °C), combined with either close to natural (22 °C) or elevated (32 °C) nighttime temperatures. Under both growth regimes, the critical temperature for irreversible leaf damage, determined by changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence, was approximately 51 °C. This is comparable to values found in F. insipida growing under natural ambient conditions and indicates a limited potential for heat tolerance acclimation of this tropical forest tree species. Yet, under high nighttime temperature, growth was strongly enhanced, accompanied by increased rates of net photosynthetic CO₂ uptake and diminished temperature dependence of leaf-level dark respiration, consistent with thermal acclimation of these key physiological parameters.     

Effects of temperature on growth rates of fungi from subantarctic Macquarie Island and Casey,Antarctica

Summary The linear growth rates of fungal isolates were measured on agar plates at temperatures ranging from 4° to 35°C. Fungi tested included the major fungal colonizers of leaves and litter of the three dominant plant species on subantarctic Macquarie Island, and major fungal species associated with plant and soil communities near Australia's Casey Station on the Antarctic Continent. All fungi grew at 4°C and were classified as psychrotrophs. Maximum growth rates were recorded at temperatures of 10° to 20°C for 13 of the 15 isolates from Macquarie Island and for all six isolates from Casey. Most of the leaf colonizing fungi from Macquarie Island had optimum growth temperatures of 15°C whereas all litter fungi from Macquarie Island and Casey fungi except Thelebolus microsporus had optimum growth temperatures of 20°C or above. Maximum growth of all species was at temperatures above those normally prevailing in their natural environments, with most species growing at 4°C at between 10% and 30% of their maximum rates. However, microclimatic effects may have resulted at times in temperatures near their growth optima. The highest growth rates at 4°C were recorded for Phoma spp. 1 and 2, Phoma exigua and Mortierella gamsii from Macquarie Island and Mortierella sp. 1 from Casey. Thelebolus microsporus and sterile sp. G from Casey also grew relatively fast at 4°C, and these species, and Phoma sp. 3 and Phoma exigua from Macquarie Island had the lowest Q-₁₀ values for the temperature range 4° to 15°C.     

Identifying Environmental Conditions to Promote Species Coexistence: An Example with the Native Barrens Topminnow and Invasive Western Mosquitofish

Coexistence of a native and invasive species may be possible at certain conditions along an environmental gradient where the individual responses of each species are maximally apart. Water temperature may differentially affect the growth of a native cool-water species like the Barrens topminnow, Fundulus julisia, and an originally warm-water adapted western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, who is a recent invader in Barrens Plateau region of middle Tennessee. We measured the specific growth rate (SGR) of the two species separately in laboratory aquaria at 10, 15, 20 and 25 °C, representing a range of temperatures that occur in topminnow habitats throughout the year. Both species grew faster with increasing temperature and SGRs were highest at 25 °C. The interspecific difference in SGR was maximized at 15 °C. At this temperature, mean growth rate of topminnows was 0.78% per day, more than twice that of mosquitofish (0.38% per day). These results suggest that cool springhead habitats with a near-constant thermal environment of 15 °C throughout the year may provide a growth advantage to the Barrens topminnow over the mosquitofish. Other environmental, density-dependent, or behavioral factors not examined here may act along with temperature to mediate the coexistence of the topminnow and mosquitofish.     

Temperature preferences and oxygen consumption of three species of sculpin (Cottus) from the Pit River drainage,California

Synopsis I examined the temperature preferences and routine metabolic rates of Pit sculpin, Cottius pitensis, marbled sculpin, C. klamathensis macrops, and rough sculpin, C. asperrimus, of the Pit River drainage of California to determine if the distributional patterns of these species can be explained on the basis of physiological or behavioral responses to temperature. The routine metabolic rates of these species did not increase significantly between 10 and 15°C, indicating an area of thermal compensation. Metabolic rates then rapidly increased between 15 and 20°C (Q₁₀ values>4.0) followed by little increase between 20 and 25°C (Q₁₀ values >2.0), indicating another area of thermal compensation. The final temperature preferenda of Pit, marbled and rough sculpin were 11.2, 12.1 and 13.5°C, respectively. Marbled and rough sculpin appear to be more stenothermal than Pit sculpin. At acclimation temperatures of 10, 15 and 20°C the acute preferred temperatures of marbled and rough sculpin ranged from 11.1 to 14.7° C and 13.3 to 14.4°C, respectively. Values for Pit sculpin ranged from 9.9 to 16.4°C at acclimation temperatures of 10, 15 and 20°C. The distributions of marbled and rough sculpin are consistent with their behavioral and metabolic responses to temperature. The widespread distribution of Pit sculpin is consistent with its greater tolerance of high temperatures and eurythermal behavior, but the absence of Pit sculpin from habitats dominated by marbled and rough sculpin is not consistent with a temperature related explanation.     

Pollen selection for low temperature adaptation in tomato

Summary Pollen selection experiments were conducted in tomato to determine the effects of low temperature conditions during pollination on the rate of root elongation of the progeny. Pollen was harvested from an F₁ interspecific hybrid between a high altitude Lycopersicon hirsutum accession and the cultivated tomato L. esculentum. The pollen was applied to stigmas of malesterile L. esculentum plants maintained in growth chambers set at either 12°C/7°C or 24°C/18°C. BC₁ seeds from the low and normal temperature crosses were germinated and root elongation rate was measured at either 9°C or 24°C. At 9°C, the rate of root elongation for progeny of the low temperature crosses was higher than for progeny of crosses at normal temperatures; at 24°C the rate of root elongation was similar for the two crossing treatments. To compare the temperature responses of the two backcross populations we also calculated the relative inhibitory effect of low temperature on the rate of root elongation: the ratio between the rate of root elongation at 9°C to that at 24°C. Root elongation of seedlings from the low temperature crosses was less inhibited by the cold than root elongation for progeny of the normal temperature crosses. These results suggest a relationship between pollen selection at low temperatures and the expression of a sporophytic trait under the same environmental stress.     

The effect of temperature,darkness, starvation and various food types on growth,survival and reproduction of Helisoma duryi,Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus truncatus (Gastropoda: Planorbidae)

Helisoma duryi has been proposed as a biological control agent in schistosomiasis due to its superiority in laboratory competition experiments with various species of the intermediate host snails. Therefore it was considered important to evaluate the response of this snail species and the intermediate host species, Biomphalaria alexandrina and Bulinus truncatus, to various physical, chemical and biological factors under laboratory conditions in order to obtain information on the similarities in the ecological niches of these species. The factors considered in the present paper are: temperature, darkness, starvation and food. All three species had optimal growth and egg laying at 26–28 °C. Only H. duryi survived for a longer period at 33°C and it was capable of starting egg laying at this temperature although the onset was delayed. However, low temperature (18°C) caused a relatively larger decrease in egg laying of H. duryi than in the other two species. Growth and egg laying was reduced for H. duryi and B. truncatus kept under darkness and B. alexandrina could not tolerate maintenance under darkness. A few days of starvation of juvenile snails had no effect on later growth and egg laying capacity of the survivors, although mortality in B. truncatus was increased. B. alexandrina had a lower tolerance to starvation than the other two species. Egg laying of snails fed only one of the three laboratory food types decreased for all three species in the order: Vov-vov (dog food in dry pellets), Tetramin (fish food) and lettuce. Combinations of lettuce and one or more proteinaceous food types gave optimal growth and egg laying for all three species.     

Soil temperature and flooding effects on two species of citrus

Summary Rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) and sour orange (C. aurantium L.) seedlings were grown at constant soil temperatures of 16, 24, and 33 C for 3 months. Shoot and root growth of rough lemon was greatest at 33 C while growth of sour orange was greatest at 24 C. There were no significant effects of soil temperature on shoot: root ratio, leaf water potential or stomatal conductance. The hydraulic conductivity of intact root systems of both species was highest when seedlings were grown at 16 C. Thus, acclimation through greater root conductivity at low soil temperature may have compensated for decreased root growth at 16 C and negated effects of soil temperature on plant water relations. Half the plants growing at each soil temperature were subsequently flooded. Within 1 week, the soil redox potential (Eh) dropped below zero mV, reaching a minimum Eh of –250mV after 3 weeks of flooded conditions. Flooded plants exhibited lower root conductivity, a cessation of shoot growth, lower leaf water potentials, lower stomatal conductances, and visual sloughing of fibrous roots. Decreases in root conductivity in response to flooding were large enough to account for the observed decreases in stomatal conductance.Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations Journal Series No. 4080.     

Effect of Calcium and Zinc on the Activity and Thermostability of Superoxide Dismutase

The effect of calcium and zinc ions on superoxide dismutase (SOD) from four plant species (Taxus baccata, Pinus sylvestris, Medicago rigidula, and Zea mays) was followed at three temperatures: optimal (20 °C), increased (50 °C), and high, inhibiting temperature (70 – 80 °C). At 20 and 50 °C in vitro added calcium increases SOD activity, but the degree was different for the plants investigated. The effect of zinc ions at the same temperatures varied in the investigated plants from activation to inhibition. An inhibiting effect of high temperature on SOD activity was diminished in the presence of calcium or zinc ions. It was shown that calcium and zinc ions can increase activity and thermostabilize different SOD isoforms.     

A novel low-temperature active alkaline pectate lyase from Klebsiella sp. Y1 with potential in textile industry

Alkaline pectate lyases are favorable for the textile industry. Here we report the cloning of a pectate lyase gene (pl A), from Klebsiella sp. Y1, and its heterologous expression in Escherichia coli. The full-length pl A consists of 1710 bp and encodes for a 569-amino acid polypeptide including a putative 22-residue signal peptide and a catalytic domain belonging to pectate lyase family 2. The recombinant enzyme (r-PL A) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by single-step Ni²⁺-NTA affinity chromatography and showed an apparent molecular weight of ∼60 kDa. The pH and temperature optima of r-PL A were found to be 9.0 and 30–50 °C, respectively. r-PL A was highly active at low temperatures, exhibiting >60% of the maximal activity at 20 °C and >20% activity even at 0 °C. The enzyme was stable in a broad alkaline pH range of 7.0–12.0 for 1 h at 37 °C. The values of K_m(app) and V_max(app) of r-PL A for polygalacturonic acid were 2.47 mg/ml and 11.94 μmol/min/mg, respectively. Compared with the commercial compound pectinase from Novozymes, purified r-PL A showed similar efficacy in reducing the intrinsic viscosity of polygalacturonic acid (68.8% vs. 67.1%) and in bioscouring of jute (7.38% vs. 7.58%). Thus r-PL A is a valuable material for the textile industry.     

The use of a temperature-profiled position transducer for the study of low-temperature growth in Gramineae

A device is described for measuring linear extension of grass leaves during controlled cooling and heating of the growing region. The instrument was employed to investigate the sensitivity to temperature of the expanding third and fourth leaves of Lolium temulentum L. seedlings. Using a stepped temperature profile it was established that there was no lag in the response of growth rate to rapid changes in temperature below 16°C. If cooling was continued to the point where growth ceased (1°C) but no further, then rates of growth on rewarming were enhanced over the chilling range and reverted to the original rate at 20°C. Cooling to successively lower subzero temperatures before rewarming abolished the hysteretic enhancement, progressively raised the temperature at which growth resumed and decreased the rate of extension until, at-5.3°C, no recovery occurred. The temperature sensitivity of growth, measured as Q₁₀, was essentially constant when cooling from 20°C to 5°C, with 5°C-grown leaf tissue exhibiting a higher mean Q₁₀ than tissue developed at 20°C. The possible physiological significance of these data is discussed.Abbreviations LVDT linear variable displacement transformer - Pe, Fx temperatures at which growth ceases during cooling and resumes during rewarming     

Effect of temperature on the in vitro radial growth of Zoophthora radicans and Pandora blunckii, two co-occurring fungal pathogens of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella

The effect of four different temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30°C) on the in vitro growth of 19 isolates of Pandora blunckii and 14 isolates of Zoophthora radicans from Plutella xylostella larvae was investigated. Both species grew more at 20 and 25°C than the other two temperatures. However, Z. radicans grew more than P. blunckii at 20 and 25°C. Within each species there were differences amongst: all isolates regardless of geographical origin, isolates from different countries and isolates from Mexico. No relationship was found between optimal growth temperature and geographical origin. This represents the first report of the relationship between temperature and the in vitro growth of P. blunckii. The ecological role of this large variability amongst isolates within each species is discussed.     

Determinants of leaf temperature in California Mimulus species at different altitudes

Summary Leaf energy balance and gas-exchange characteristics were studied in Mimulus cardinalis at 400 m and Mimulus lewisii at 2,700 m in the Sierra Nevada of central California. In contrast to previous observations, leaf temperatures were not near 30° C at air temperatures from 20 to 40° C but were coupled quite closely to air temperature. Stomatal conductance in both species decreased in response to increases in the water vapor concentration gradient, a response opposite that required to establish 30°C leaf temperatures over a wide range of air temperatures. The temperature optima for photosynthesis were broad in both species but 5° C higher for M. cardinalis than for M. lewisii. The direct or indirect effects of altitude did not contribute significantly to the maintenance of constant leaf temperatures. For both species, maintaining constant leaf temperatures appears to be less important than avoiding inhibitory water stress or diffusion limitation of photosynthesis.