Diversification rates in a temperate legume clade: Are there “so many species” of Astragalus (Fabaceae)?

Astragalus, the largest genus of flowering plants, contains upwards of 2500 species. Explanations for this exceptional species diversity have pointed to unusual population structure or modes of speciation. Surprisingly, however, three different statistical analyses indicate that diversification rates in Astragalus are not exceptionally high compared to its closest relatives. Instead, rates are high throughout the “Astragalean clade,” a much broader radiation distributed throughout the temperate zone. The increase in diversification rate is associated with the origin and divergence of this clade from common ancestors of it and several much less diverse and more narrowly distributed Asian genera. This suggests that causal factors in the shift toward higher rates of diversification must be due not to factors unique to Astragalus, but to characteristics common to the entire Astragalean clade. However, this larger clade has never been circumscribed in classifications based on morphological data. This raises the possibility that the causes of increased diversification may not be due to morphological innovation, but may instead be related to ecological factors or cryptic physiological or biochemical features.     

Quantitative proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in tubers of potato plants differing in resistance to Dickeya solani

Plant and Soil - This study aims the detection of proteins associated with increased resistance of tubers to necrotrophic bacteria Dickeya solani in tetraploid and diploid potato plants....     

Evaluation of Spring and Winter Wheat Reaction to Fusarium culmorum and Fusarium avenaceum

Winter (37), spring (8) wheat accessions and additionally, 7 double haploid (DH) lines were examined for susceptibility to Fusarium seedling blight after inoculation with F. culmorum and F. avenaceum. Winter accessions exhibited lower susceptibility of about 30% to both pathogens than spring cultivars. Susceptibility of winter cultivars varied from low (22%) to high (97%). Evaluation of the root was found to be more reliable than evaluation of coleoptile necrosis.
F. avenaceum infected mostly root and, to a lesser extent, coleoptile and leaves, with about a three times lower disease score of coleoptile against root. F. culmorum caused a 1.5 higher disease score on root than on coleoptile. Susceptibility of DH lines was different from susceptibility of parental forms. Reaction of individual accessions to F. culmorum and F. avenaceum was different.