Postharvest Imaging of Chlorophyll Fluorescence from Lemons Can Be Used to Predict Fruit Quality

We demonstrate the feasibility of assaying and predicting post-harvest damage in lemons by monitoring chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence. Fruit quality was assayed using a commercial instrument that determines photosynthetic performance by imaging Chl fluorescence parameters under different irradiances. Images of Chl fluorescence from individual lemons reveal that photosynthesis is active throughout the post-harvest ripening process. Because photosynthesis is highly sensitive to biotic and abiotic stress, variations in Chl fluorescence parameters over the surface of a lemon fruit can be used to predict areas that will eventually exhibit visible damage. The technique is able to distinguish between mould-infected areas that eventually spread over the surface of the fruit, and damaged areas that do not increase in size during ripening. This study demonstrates the potential for using rapid imaging of Chl fluorescence in post-harvest fruit to develop an automated device that can identify and remove poor quality fruit long before visible damage appears.     

Extracellular proteins and early embryo development in Citrus nucellar cell cultures

Highly efficient synchronous embryogenesis was induced in suspension cultures of sour orange ( Citrus aurantium L.) by a change in the carbon source of the growth medium from sucrose to glycerol. In liquid culture the embryos developed into globular structures during a three week period. Embryo development showed an absolute requirement for the continued presence of glycerol. The embryo cell cultures turned green in the light, but light did not affect the course of development. The profiles of soluble cellular protein extracts of embryo and proembryogenic (PEM) cells were very similar as judged by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, major differences were detected in the profiles of extracellular proteins. PEM cells accumulated extracellular glycoproteins of 53–57 kDa mass. Upon subculture in glycerol containing medium, the accumulation of these proteins ceased within two days. Developing embryos accumulated at least 4 new extracellular polypeptides of 41–42 kDa mass. In addition to these polypeptides, stage specific peroxidases and proteases were found. The relatively extended duration and synchrony in which these early developmental events take place make Citrus cultures an especially useful system for the study of early events in plant embryogenesis.     

Effects of gibberellin A3 and cytokinins on natural and post-harvest, ethylene-induced pigmentation of Satsuma mandarin peel

Natural and post-harvest ethylene-induced pigment changes in the rind of Satsuma mandarin ( Citrus unshiu Marc.) fruits respond differently to the exogenous application of growth regulators. Both gibberellin A₃ and the synthetic cytokinins N⁶-benzyladenine and kinetin opposed the ethylene-induced chlorophyll destruction, while the loss of chlorophyll during natural maturation was retarded by the gibberellin but not by the cytokinins. This different behaviour suggests that ethylene may not be playing a central role in the endogenous control of ripening. Carotenoid accumulation during natural maturation is apparently controlled through a different mechanism than chlorophyll loss since it is reduced both by the cytokinins and gibberellin A₃.
Kinetin and gibberellin A₃ increased to a similar extent the accumulation of reducing sugars and free amino acids, and reduced that of non-reducing sugars in the peel during natural maturation. Their differential effect on chlorophyll loss may not be explained through their effects on sugar accumulation.     

Reclassification of citrus pseudo greasy spot causal yeasts, and a proposal of two new species, Sporobolomyces productus sp. nov. and S. corallinus sp. nov.

Three basidiomycetous yeast strains, No. 3 (=MAFF 654001), No. 4 (=MAFF 654002), and No. 6 (=MAFF 654003), isolated from diseased leaves of Citrus unshiu and formerly identified as Sporobolomyces roseus, were reported to cause citrus pseudo greasy spot (PGS). In the course of investigating the causal agent of citrus PGS, we confirmed, using conventional and molecular phylogenetic methods, that these yeasts caused citrus PGS but did not belong to S. roseus. No. 3 (=MAFF 654001) and No. 4 (=MAFF 654002) were closely related to S. subbrunneus, and No. 6 (=MAFF 654003) to S. dimmenae, but each of them was distinctive from these species. We have proposed two new species, S. productus and S. corallinus, as the causal pathogens of citrus PGS.     

缺硼导致柑橘叶脉和果实导管分子形态畸形的观察

缺硼可导致柑橘叶片变厚而脆、发生木栓化、"猴头果"等现象,其原因是植物组织内部起运输作用的维管组织受到损坏。导管是维管组织重要组成部分,本实验以‘纽荷尔’脐橙(Citrus sinensis Osbeck ‘Newhall’)和HB柚[Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr.‘HB You’]叶片、HB柚果实中果皮为材料,利用离析方法将导管分离,观察缺硼导管分子形态的变化。结果表明:(1)缺硼使纽荷尔脐橙叶脉中的孔纹导管数量增多;(2)缺硼使HB柚叶片和果实中果皮的孔纹导管大量增生,梯纹导管和网纹导管数量减少;(3)正常导管圆润饱满,而缺硼导管变形干瘪,且有侧壁穿孔现象;(4)缺硼导管变得短而窄,细胞壁变薄,无尾率增加,使维管组织功能丧失。(5)缺硼维管束受损,运输效率降低,是发生叶脉木栓化和"猴头果"现象的源头。     

柑橘叶片和果皮总蛋白质提取及双向电泳体系的建立

以春甜橘(Citrus reticulata Blanco‘Chuntianju’)果皮和叶片为材料,分别用Tris-HCl、尿素/硫脲(Thi/Urea)、三氯乙酸/丙酮(TCA)和酚(Phe)等4种方法提取柑橘总蛋白质,从蛋白质产量、单向SDS-PAGE和双向电泳等方面进行比较。结果表明,4种方法的分离效果存在较大差异,不论是以柑橘叶片还是果皮为材料,均以TCA法最好,且双向电泳图谱分辨率较好,蛋白点清晰、均匀、基本没有条纹,且蛋白点多。这说明TCA法不仅能很好地去除柑橘果皮、叶片中存在的大量干扰物质,而且还能得到稳定的蛋白点。     

昆明桃园果蝇寄生蜂种类及其种群动态

【目的】为控制果蝇类害虫危害,需掌握昆明桃园内果蝇寄生蜂的种类及种群消长动态。【方法】2014年4—10月在云南昆明小河乡(25°10′55.07″N,102°47′52.51″E,海拔2200 m)桃树果园,利用香蕉、诱盒收集桃园内果蝇天敌昆虫寄生蜂并进行分类鉴定,对其种群动态进行监测。【结果】共收集到6种果蝇寄生蜂,762只。经过鉴定分别为茧蜂科的Asobara brevicauda和Asobara mesocauda、环腹瘿蜂科的Leptopilina japonica、瘿蜂科的Ganaspis brasiliensis、锤角细蜂科的Trichopria drosophilae、金小蜂科的Pachycrepoideus vindemiae。其中A.mesocauda(29.40%)、G.brasiliensis(17.85%)、T.drosophilae(47.77%) 3种寄生蜂的发生数量相对较多,且不同寄生蜂的种群动态随着季节呈现不同的变化。【结论】结合桃园内果蝇的种群动态,初步筛选出果蝇的优势天敌为瘿蜂科G.brasiliensis和锤角细蜂科T.drosophilae,并将对其的保护利用开展进一步研究。     

Xanthan is not essential for pathogenicity in citrus canker but contributes to<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Xanthomonas</Emphasis> epiphytic survival

Xanthan-deficient mutants of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri, the bacterium responsible for citrus canker, were generated by deletion and marker exchange of the region encoding the carboxy-terminal end of the first glycosyltransferase, GumD. Mutants of gumD did not produce xanthan and remained pathogenic in citrus plants to the same extent as wild-type bacteria. The kinetics of appearance of initial symptoms, areas of plant material affected, and growth of bacteria inside plant tissue throughout the disease process were similar for both wild-type and mutant inoculations. Moreover, exopolysaccharide deficiency did not impair the ability of the bacteria to induce hypersensitive response on non-host plants. Apart from variations in phenotypic aspects, no differences in growth or survival under different stress conditions were observed between the xanthan-deficient mutant and wild-type bacteria. However, gumD mutants displayed impaired survival under oxidative stress during stationary phase as well as impaired epiphytic survival on citrus leaves. Our results suggest that xanthan does not play an essential role in citrus canker at the initial stages of infection or in the incompatible interactions between X. axonopodis pv. citri and non-host plants, but facilitates the maintenance of bacteria on the host plant, possibly improving the efficiency of colonization of distant tissue.     

Ethanol production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kluyveromyces marxianus</Emphasis> in the presence of orange-peel oil

Summary Two ethanologenic yeasts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Kluyveromyces marxianus, were used to ferment sugar solutions modeling hydrolyzed Valencia orange peel waste at 37°C. Orange stripper oil produced from orange peel was added in various amounts to determine its effect on ethanol production. The minimum peel oil concentration that inhibited ethanol production was determined after 24, 48 and 72 h and the two yeasts were compared to one another in terms of ethanol yield. Minimum inhibitory peel oil concentrations for ethanol production were 0.05% at 24 h, 0.10% at 48 h, and 0.15% at 72 h for both yeasts. S. cerevisiae produced more ethanol than K. marxianus at each time point.     

脱水速率和降温速率对葡萄柚种子超低温保存的影响

以新鲜葡萄柚(Citrus paradise)种子为材料,使用3种脱水速率处理至约20%含水量,然后用饱和盐溶液平衡至10种不同的含水量,再进行简化的二步法超低温保存;同时,以经过15 ℃、50%相对湿度(RH)条件脱水至含水量约12%的葡萄柚种子为材料,使用程序降温仪进行5个降温速率和3个预冷温度的传统二步法超低温保存。结果表明,葡萄柚种子对脱水敏感,种子含水量越低,成苗率越低。而且,脱水速率越快,对种子的损伤越大,成苗率呈现75% RH>50% RH>15% RH;冷冻处理对种子有进一步的伤害,含水量6%～8%的种子超低温保存效果最佳,但脱水速率对超低温保存的种子成苗率的影响不明显。用传统二步法超低温保存葡萄柚种子,与预冷对照相比,经液氮冷冻的种子成苗率都有明显下降。在预冷对照组中,-2.5 ℃·min^-1降温速率的种子成苗率最高,在冷冻保存中-0.5 ℃·min^-1和-0.25 ℃·min^-1的降温速率最有利于超低温保存。预冷温度从-40 ℃降至-60 ℃,未超低温处理种子的发芽率降低,但超低温处理种子的发芽率提高。