Evaluation of laboratory indexes of absorption of soil phosphorus by plants: II

Summary A comparison was made of several laboratory methods for estimating the yield of phosphorus in plants grown in greenhouse cultures on samples of 22 soils from different parts of the United States. The methods investigated and their rank in order of increasing precision of the estimates of the yield of phosphorus were as follows: extraction with lactic acid, calcium lactate buffer solution extraction with 2 per cent citric acid solution < extraction with 0.03N NH₄F, 0.025N HCl solution < percentage phosphorus saturation (found as follows: 100 × labile phosphorus by isotopic dilution/ phosphorus adsorption capacity according to Langmuir adsorption equation) labile phosphorus by isotopic dilution phosphorus extracted by water.Journal Paper No. J-3747 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1183. Contribution from the Department of Agronomy.     

Development of the Predatory Stinkbug Brontocoris tabidus Signoret Heteroptera: Pentatomidae on Different Proportions of an Artificial Diet and Pupae of Tenebrio molitor L. Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae

The development of the Neotropical predatory pentatomid Brontocoris tabidus on an artificial diet based on beef meat and liver was evaluated. The predator showed significantly longer nymphal development and lower adult weights on this diet than when reared on pupae of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor. The survival of nymphs fed exclusively on the artificial diet was somewhat lower compared with feeding on T. molitor pupae. When B. tabidus was bred on this artificial diet during part of its nymphal period i.e. during the second; second and third; and second, third and fourth instars , and was subsequently returned to T. molitor pupae, the predator nymphs completed the nymphal stage with a developmental rate similar to that of nymphs fed on live prey throughout. The adults attained after switching from the artificial diet to live prey from the third and fourth instar onwards had similar weights to those in the control. Considering the relatively good results obtained with B. tabidus and other members of the pentatomid subfamily Asopinae, this meat-based diet may be a valuable alternative for use in the mass production of predatory pentatomids.     

An Ustilago maydis Mutant Partially Blocked in P45014DM Activity Is Hypersensitive to Azole Fungicides

An Ustilago maydis ergosterol biosynthesis mutant (A14) which is partially blocked in sterol 14alpha-demethylase (P45014DM) activity is described. This mutant accumulated the abnormal 14alpha-methyl sterols, eburicol, 14alpha-methylfecosterol, and obtusifoliol, along with significant amounts of ergosterol. Although the A14 mutant grew nearly as well as the wild type, it was impaired in cell extension growth, which indicated a dysfunction in apical cell wall synthesis. The mutant was also found to be hypersensitive to the azole fungicides penconazole and tebuconazole.     

Changes in the ultrastructure of mitochondria of roots ofTriticale subjected to anaerobiosis

Summary Anaerobiosis induces the formation of tubular inclusions within the mitochondria ofTriticale roots. These inclusions show a close relationship to the inner membrane of the mitochondrial envelope. Mitochondria of anaerobically cultured roots also become larger and fewer in number. Cristae become less numerous and more dilated in appearance. Despite these alterations the mitochondria retain their metabolic integrity, if the period of anaerobiosis does not exceed 24 hours. Periods of anaerobiosis in excess to 24 hours are increasingly deleterious to the metabolism and structure of the root cells and will eventually lead to their death.     

Turning in MFB-lesioned rats and antagonism of neuroleptic-induced catalepsy after lisuride and LSD.

The effects of lisuride, d-lysergic acid diethyl amide (LSD) and apomorphine were studied in rats with unilateral destruction of nigro-striatal nerve terminals either with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 5, 6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT). Lisuride at the dose of 50 μg kg^?1 i.p. induced contralateral turning for more than 4 hours while the circling induced by LSD (200 μg kg^?1) and apomorphine (1 mg kg^?1) persisted for only one hour. Lisuride, a compound stimulating both dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors induced a more intense turning in 6-OHDA than in 5,6-DHT lesioned rats. This might indicate a modulation of 5-HT on rotational behavior. Haloperidol (1 mg kg^?1 i.p.) antagonized both lisuride- and LSD-induced turning. LSD, and much more persistently lisuride, counteracted the prochlorperazine-induced catalepsy. These findings correlate with the biochemical data indicating that lisuride is a very potent agonist at central dopaminergic receptors.     

Dihydroisocoumarins and phthalide from wood samples infested by fungi

Wood samples, infested by fungi during storage, were shown to contain, besides the known 5-methyl-mellein, additional (3R)-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarins substituted by 7-methyl, 5-formyl, 5-carboxy, 5-hydroxy, 5-methoxy, 6-methoxy-5-methyl and 6,7-dimethoxy-5-methyl groups, as well as 6-formyl-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-4-methylphthalide. Several 2-methylchromanones were synthesized in order to show that this class of compounds can be distinguished from 3-methyl-3,4-dihydroisocoumarins by MS.     

Mucronulatol,mucroquinone and mucronucarpan,isoflavonoids from Machaerium mucronulatum and M. villosum

Additionally to the cinnamylphenols described in a previous paper, wood samples of Machaerium mucronulatum and M. villosum contain isoflavones, besides (?)-duartin, (?)- and (±)-mucronulatol [(3S)- and rac-7,3′-dihydroxy-2′,4′-dimethoxyisoflavan], (?)-mucroquinone [(3S)-2-methoxy-5-(7-hydroxy-8-methoxychroman-3-yl)-1,4-benzoquinone] and (+)-mucronucarpan [(6aS,11aS)-2,10-dihydroxy-3,9-dimethoxypterocarpan]. The constitutions of mucronulatol, mucroquinone and mucronucarpan were deduced by spectra and degradations, and confirmed by syntheses.     

Pollination and Breeding System of Vellozia squamata (Liliales: Velloziaceae): A Species of the Brazilian Cerrados

The pollination biology and breeding system of Vellozia squamata (Velloziaceae), a species of cerrado vegetation in Central Brazil, were studied. V. squamata is unusual in being pollinated by a few, generalist bee species despite having very large flowers, and having a distinctive pulsed flowering phenology. The species is self-incompatible but with a late-acting, post-fertilization rejection mechanism.