Quantifying aphid behavioral responses to environmental change

Aphids are the most common vector of plant viruses, and their feeding behavior is an important determinant of virus transmission. Positive effects of global change on aphid performance have been documented, but effects on aphid behavior are not known. We assessed the plant‐mediated behavioral responses of a generalist aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), to increased CO₂ and nitrogen when feeding on each of three host species: Amaranthus viridis L. (Amaranthaceae), Polygonum persicaria L. (= Persicaria maculosa Gray) (Polygonaceae), and Solanum dulcamara L. (Solanaceae). Via a family of constrained Markov models, we tested the degree to which aphid movements demonstrate preference among host species or plants grown under varying environmental conditions. Entropy rates of the estimated Markov chains were used to further quantify aphid behavior. Our statistical methods provide a general tool for assessing choice and quantitatively comparing animal behavior under different conditions. Aphids displayed strong preferences for the same host species under all growth conditions, indicating that CO₂‐ and N‐induced changes in plant chemistry have minimal effects on host preference. However, entropy rates increased in the presence of non‐preferred hosts, even when preferred hosts were available. We conclude that the presence of a non‐preferred host species affected aphid‐feeding behavior more than changes in plant leaf chemistry when plants were grown under elevated CO₂ and increased N availability.     

假刺苋——中国大陆一新归化种

报道了广东省潮州市韩江沿岸发现的中国大陆一新归化种——假刺苋(Amaranthus dubius Mart.ex Thell.)。该种原产热带美洲及西印度群岛,已经引入并局部归化于欧洲、热带亚洲地区和非洲,在中国台湾已经归化。通过野外调查,获得该种的详细特征与生境等信息,并讨论了与其他苋属植物的区别及其潜在的入侵性。此外,还提供了用于检索中国苋属植物的分类检索表。     

高温胁迫下苋菜的叶绿素荧光特性

为了探明高温胁迫对苋菜(Amaranthus tricolor L.)光合过程的影响,用不同温度(25、30、35、40、45℃)处理苋菜植株1h后,随即测定了其叶绿素荧光动力学参数和快速光响应曲线特征参数的变化.结果表明:40℃以上高温胁迫下,苋菜叶片的光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)潜在光化学效率(Fv/Fo)、最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)下降;最大荧光(Fm)、光合电子传递速率(ETR)、PSⅡ实际光化学效率(Yield)、光化学淬灭系数(qP)也均有所下降;而初始荧光(F.)和非光化学淬灭系数(NPQ)在40℃以上高温胁迫下显著上升.叶绿素荧光快速光响应曲线测定结果表明,初始斜率α、最大相对电子传递速率ETRmax和半饱和光强Ik在40℃以上高温胁迫下有所下降.研究表明,40℃以上高温胁迫对苋菜的光能的吸收、转换、光合电子传递和强光耐受能力等均有一定的影响.     

Genus-specific host range of Phomopsis amaranthicola (Sphaeropsidales), a bioherbicide agent for Amaranthus spp.

Phomopsis amaranthicola, a newly described species discovered in Florida, is under development as a biological control agent for weeds belonging to the genus Amaranthus. Host-range testing was performed on the fungus, using the centrifugal phylogenetic scheme, with Amaranthus hybridus as the focal plant. Forty-five accessions of 21 species in the genus Amaranthus were tested for susceptibility to infection by this fungus. Fifty-six plant species outside the genus Amaranthus were also tested. The latter included crops in which the fungus might be used as a bioherbicide, members of genera that are closely related to Amaranthus, and selections of species that have been reported as hosts of other species of the genera Phomopsis or Diaporthe. Phomopsis amaranthicola did not infect any of the plants from outside the genus Amaranthus but was highly pathogenic to several species in the genus Amaranthus. All Amaranthus species tested were infected to varying degrees by P. amaranthicola; the resulting mortality levels were also variable. Thus, P. amaranthicola appears to be host-specific to the members of the genus Amaranthus. The generic level of specificity of this pathogen renders it not only a safe bioherbicide agent but also one that could be used against several weedy Amaranthus species.     

Changes in soil diversity and global activities following invasions of the exotic invasive plant, Amaranthus viridis L., decrease the growth of native sahelian Acacia species

The objectives of this study were to determine whether the invasive plant Amaranthus viridis influenced soil microbial and chemical properties and to assess the consequences of these modifications on native plant growth. The experiment was conducted in Senegal at two sites: one invaded by A. viridis and the other covered by other plant species. Soil nutrient contents as well as microbial community density, diversity and functions were measured. Additionally, five sahelian Acacia species were grown in (1) soil disinfected or not collected from both sites, (2) uninvaded soil exposed to an A. viridis plant aqueous extract and (3) soil collected from invaded and uninvaded sites and inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices . The results showed that the invasion of A. viridis increased soil nutrient availability, bacterial abundance and microbial activities. In contrast, AM fungi and rhizobial development and the growth of Acacia species were severely reduced in A. viridis -invaded soil. Amaranthus viridis aqueous extract also exhibited an inhibitory effect on rhizobial growth, indicating an antibacterial activity of this plant extract. However, the inoculation of G. intraradices was highly beneficial to the growth and nodulation of Acacia species. These results highlight the role of AM symbiosis in the processes involved in plant coexistence and in ecosystem management programs that target preservation of native plant diversity.     

Purification, characterization and cloning of antiviral/ribosome inactivating protein from Amaranthus tricolor leaves

An antiviral protein (AVP), imparting high level of resistance against sunnhemp rosette virus (SRV) was purified from the dried leaves of Amaranthus tricolor. The purified protein (AAP-27) exhibited approximately 98% inhibition of local lesion formation at a concentration range of approximately 30 microg ml(-1). The protein was found to be highly basic glycoprotein monomer (pI approximately 9.8) of Mr 27 kDa, with neutral sugar content of 4%. The purified protein exhibited N-glycosidase and RNase activities. We have also isolated full-length cDNA clone, encoding this protein designated as A. tricolor antiviral protein-1 (AAP-1). Two primers, one designed on the basis of N-terminal sequence of the purified protein and the other from the conserved active peptides of other AVPs/RIPs were used for PCR amplification of double stranded cDNA, isolated from the leaves of A. tricolor. The amplified fragment was used as a probe for library screening. The isolated full-length cDNA consisted of 1058 nucleotides with an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 297 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence of AAP-1 has a putative active domain conserved in other AVPs/RIPs and shows varying homology to the RIPs from other plant species.     

灰葡萄孢强除草菌株的筛选与活性物质的组分分析

灰葡萄孢产生的毒素具有较强的除草活性,开发成生物除草剂前景广阔。本试验以灰葡萄孢BC4为出发菌株,通过紫外线和化学诱变剂诱变分生孢子或菌丝体,获得了所产毒素除草活性比野生菌株显著增强的3个突变菌株。对各菌株产生的毒素提取液进行HPLC分析,发现获得的3个突变菌株中各个组分的含量均显著高于野生菌株,且遗传稳定。利用HPLC制备得到了4个组分,其中组分Ⅰ、Ⅳ对马唐和反枝苋具有很强的杀除活性,为灰葡萄孢的遗传改良及毒素源除草剂的工业化生产奠定了基础。     

Comparison of Chlorophyll Meter Readings with Leaf Chlorophyll Concentration in Amaranthus vlitus: Correlation with Physiological Processes1

The portable chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502) has been successfully used for a rapid and direct estimation of total chlorophyll content (TCHL) in the leaves of some crops. In this work, SPAD-502 meter readings and TCHL concentration were compared for the leaves of Amaranthus vlitus L., a common weed. SPAD readings were linearly and positively correlated to TCHL concentration in the leaves. A linear correlation was also shown between SPAD-502 readings and some physiological parameters of the leaves, such as photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance.     

长芒苋——中国苋属-新归化种

首次记载长芒苋Amaranthus palmeri S．Watson,一种原产美国西南部和墨西哥北部的有毒植物,为中国归化杂草-新记录。     

泰山苋的名实问题

发现泰山苋 A．taishanensis F．Z．Li et C．K．Ni即为源于美洲的合被苋 A．Polygonoides L .,故于归并。