Transmission of tomato leaf curl geminiviruses by Bemisia tabaci: effects of virus isolate and vector biotype

Cultures of Bemisia tabaci from Ivory Coast (IC), Pakistan (PK) and USA (US B-type) were compared for the frequency with which they transmitted three tomato geminivirus isolates: Indian tomato leaf curl virus from Bangalore (ITmLCV), and tomato yellow leaf curl viruses from Nigeria (TYLCV-Nig) and Senegal (TYLCV-Sen). Frequency of transmission from tomato to tomato depended both on the whitefly culture and the virus isolate. US B-type and IC whiteflies transmitted TYLCV-Sen more frequently than ITmLCV whereas PK whiteflies transmitted ITmLCV more frequently than TYLCV-Sen. US B-type whiteflies transmitted both viruses four to nine times more frequently than IC whiteflies. TYLCV-Nig was transmitted rarely by US B-type and not at all by IC whiteflies. Previous work indicates that the geminivirus coat protein controls vector transmissibility. The differential adaptation of TYLCV-Sen to transmission by US B-type whiteflies and of ITmLCV to PK whiteflies was associated with a large difference in epitope profile of the coat proteins of the two viruses. Also, the readily transmissible TYLCV-Sen differed appreciably in epitope profile from the poorly transmissible TYLCV-Nig, which reached a consistently greater concentration in source tissues but lacked epitope 18. However, the lack of epitope 18 in ITmLCV did not prevent its transmission by US B-type whiteflies. Differences in frequency and specificity of geminivirus transmission by whitefly cultures from different countries therefore were associated with differences among epitope profiles of the coat proteins of the viruses, but the structural features of the proteins that control transmission remain to be determined.     

Rooting and the Metabolism of Nicotine in Tobacco Callus Cultures

The usefulness of exogenous nicotine as a factor in the induction of morphogenesis in a tobacco tissue culture medium has been demonstrated. Nicotiana rustica callus cell cultures were grown on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium with 2 mg/l indoleacetic acid (IAA) and 0.2 mg/l kinetin (MMS). Root morphogenesis was induced in roller tube callus cell cultures and solid callus cell cultures grown on MMS without kinetin supplemented with 10–100 mg/l nicotine. Optimal nicotine concentration for root induction was 50 mg/l. Other tests using varying combinations of IAA, kinetin and nicotine produced no obvious morphogenesis, although some changes in the amount of callus growth and endogenous protein concentration did correlate with nicotine concentration relative to the presence of IAA and/or kinetin. In liquid MMS medium, ¹⁴C-nicotine was primarily incorporated into the protein fraction of cultured cells while primarily incorporated into the cell wall and/or cell membrane fraction of cells cultured on MMS without kinetin in the medium. In MMS without IAA and MMS without both IAA and kinetin, there was incorporation, but to a lesser extent in both the protein and the cell wall and/or cell membrane fractions.     

The effects of sowing date and choice of insecticide on cereal aphids and barley yellow dwarf virus epidemiology in northern England

During the mid-1980s, Sitobion avenae became recognised as an important vector of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) in the Vale of York. A field trial at the University of Leeds Farm, North Yorkshire, was carried out during the autumn/winter of 1984-85 to evaluate different control procedures against S. avenae-transmitted BYDV and to investigate its epidemiology. Winter barley was sown on three dates in September, and plots were sprayed with either deltamethrin, demeton-S-methyl or pirimicarb on one of three dates between mid-October and mid-November, making a factorial design. Rhopalosiphum padi, the main vector of BYDV in southern England, were rarely found during the experiment, but the numbers of S. avenae were much higher, reaching a peak of 21% of plants infested in the unsprayed plots of the first sowing date. Single applications of each insecticide reduced populations of S. avenae to zero. Some treatments, particularly in the early sown plots and those treated with pirimicarb, however, did allow some recolonisation, and thus led to increased virus incidence and decreased yields. Sprays applied before the end of the migration of S. avenae were more efficient at controlling BYDV if the insecticide was persistent, otherwise a spray after this period, in November, was more effective. Virus incidence, although reduced by sprays, was generally low in plots sown on 18 and 27 September. In contrast, about 11% of plants were infected in unsprayed plots sown on 6 September and a small yield benefit was obtained with insecticidal treatments. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of plants taken from the plots indicated that MAV- and PAV-like strains were present, and were most likely to have been transmitted by S. avenae.     

THE SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF THE PLIOCENE TURTLE FROM TIENSHUI,KANSU (NORTH CHINA)

C.C.Young in 1950 described a genus and species of fossil turtle new toChina under the name Terrapene sinica n.sp..The remains of this turtle arefrom Hipparion-Red Clay in North China (Pliocene).Placing it in the genusTerrapene the author refers to Hay's characteristics of the genus (1908a).It is     

Uptake and transport of zinc in the hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens and the non-hyperaccumulator Thlaspi ochroleucum

Growth and zinc uptake of the hyperaccumulator species Thlaspi caerulescens J. & C. Presl and the non-hyperaccumulator species Thlaspi ochroleucum Boiss. & Heldr. were compared in solution culture experiments. T. caerulescens was able to tolerate 500 mmol m^?3 (32.5 g m^?3) Zn in solution without growth reduction, and up to 1000 mmol m^?3 (65 g m^?3) Zn without showing visible toxic symptoms but with a 25% decrease in dry matter (DM) yield. Up to 28 g kg^?1 of Zn in shoot DM was obtained in healthy plants of T. caerulescens. In contrast, T. ochroleucum suffered severe phytotoxicity at 500 mmol m^?3 Zn. Marked differences were shown in Zn uptake, distribution and redistribution between the two species. T. caerulescens had much higher concentrations of Zn in the shoots, whereas T. ochroleucum accumulated higher concentrations of Zn in the roots. When an external supply of 500 mmol m^?3 Zn was withheld, 89% of the Zn accumulated previously in the roots of T. caerulescens was transported to the shoots over a 33 d period, whereas in T. ochroleucum only 32% was transported. T. caerulescens was shown to have a greater internal requirement for Zn than other plants. Increasing the supply of Zn from 1 to 10 mmol m^?3 gave a 19% increase in the total DM of this species. liven the shoots from the 1 mmol m^?3 Zn treatment which showed Zn deficiency contained 10 times greater Zn concentrations than the widely reported critical value for Zn deficiency to occur in many other plant species. The results obtained suggest that strongly expressed constitutive sequestration mechanisms exist in the hyperaccumulator T. caerulescens, which detoxify the large amount of Zn present in shoot tissues and decrease its physiological availability in the cytosol. Both T. caerulescens and T. ochroleucum had constitutively high concentrations of malate in shoots, which were little affected by different Zn treatments. Although malate may play a role in Zn chelation because of the high concentrations present, it cannot explain the species specificity of Zn tolerance and hyperaccumulation.     

Relationship of Plasminogen Activator to Fibrin

THERE are two principal theories of the mechanism of thrombus dissolution by the fibrinolytic system. Alkjaersig et al.¹ suggested that as fibrin polymerizes, plasminogen is adsorbed preferentially to the fibrin and is available in large quantities within a thrombus which is comparatively free of antiplasmin. When an activator enters the circulation it diffuses into the clot converting the plasminogen to plasmin in situ and so promotes lysis. Ambrus and Markus², however, proposed that when plasmin forms in the circulation naturally or during infusion of an activator it is normally bound to the excess antiplasmin present in blood. They suggested that this plasmin/antiplasmin complex is reversible and dissociates in the presence of fibrin, its preferred substrate, so allowing the plasmin to bring about fibrin dissolution by “external lysis”. Neither of these theories, however, is supported by an observed phenomena.     

Episodic acidification affects the breakdown and invertebrate colonisation of oak litter

1. Although European streams are now recovering chemically from acidification, biological recovery is limited. One hypothesis is that continuing acid episodes restrict acid‐sensitive species in recovering locations either through direct toxicity or by affecting ecological processes. Here, we test this hypothesis by assessing the effects of episodic acid exposure on the breakdown and macroinvertebrate colonisation of oak (Quercus robur) litter. 2. Over 83 days, acid episodes of 4 days’ duration were simulated by repeatedly transplanting litter bags of contrasting mesh size between replicate acidic and circumneutral streams around Llyn Brianne (Wales, U.K.). Results were compared against controls from circumneutral streams and circumneutral transplants, while invertebrates colonising litter were compared with adjacent assemblages. 3. Breakdown was retarded significantly by repeated acid exposure in comparison with circumneutral transplants, but only in litter to which invertebrates had access. Overall breakdown was also significantly slower in fine‐mesh than in coarse‐mesh bags. 4. Plecopteran shredders were the major invertebrate colonists of litter, along with smaller numbers of grazers and predators. However, acid exposure eliminated or suppressed acid‐sensitive families, resulting in an overall composition converging on that in acid streams. 5. The rapid loss of sensitive invertebrates from acid‐exposed litter supports the hypothesis that acid episodes suppress biological recovery from acidification through direct physiological effects. However, our litter breakdown data indicate that (i) some effects of acid episodes could be mediated through litter processing; and (ii) episodic acidification could disrupt litter breakdown through effects on invertebrate composition or activity. These data suggest that delayed biological recovery from acidification can reflect a combination of direct toxic and indirect ecological effects.     

Estimation of Provisional Seed Viability Constants for Lupinus polyphyllus Lindley

A limited amount of data on the hermetic storage of Lupinuspolyphyllus Lindley seeds in several different environmentshas been used to provide estimates of seed viability constants.These allow reasonably accurate predictions of seed storagelife under known conditions (orthodox storage), especially inthe short or medium term. Lupinus polyphyllus Lindley, seed storage, viability constants, influence of seed moisture content and temperature