Biological and Integrated Control of Botrytis Bunch Rot of Grape UsingTrichodermaspp.

Field trials were carried out in upstate New York in 1990, 1992, 1993, and 1994 and in Chile in 1992–1993 and 1993–1994 in order to evaluate the ability of various strains ofTrichodermaspp. to control bunch rot of grape, to assess the compatibility and possible additive effects of selected biocontrol fungi and dicarboximide fungicides, and to determine factors affecting biocontrol efficacy. In 1990, three strains ofTrichodermaspp. were evaluated for their biocontrol ability, and all provided significant control ofBotrytis cinerea.As few as two late applications of the biocontrol fungi were nearly as effective as up to five applications throughout bloom and fruit development. Trials in New York in 1992 and in Chile in 1992–1993 indicated thatTrichoderma harzianumcould replace some applications of iprodione or vinclozolin with little reduction in efficacy. In New York in 1993, we found that applications ofT. harzianumat bloom and early fruit development followed by a tank-mix application ofT. harzianumand half rates of iprodione gave extremely effective control of bunch rot. In 1994, less effective control was obtained than in earlier years. Addition of a nutritive adhesive (Pelgel, a mixture of carboxymethyl cellulose and gum arabic) applied with the biocontrol agent tended to improve results. Thus, biological control of bunch rot of grape withT. harzianumcan be an effective method of management of this disease.     

番茄灰霉病拮抗内生细菌的筛选、鉴定及其活性

对安徽省淮北市番茄植株根、茎、叶中内生细菌及其数量进行了调查和筛选,并测定了其抑菌活性。结果表明,番茄根、茎和叶中的内生细菌的数量分别为5.69×105、5.16×105和2.83×105CFU.g-1鲜重。根据分离部位和表型特征,从健康番茄植株体内分离到267株内生细菌,通过对峙实验,筛选到11株对番茄灰霉病菌有拮抗作用的菌株,占所分离内生细菌总数的4.12%。来自茎组织中的菌株XF136的抑菌效果最佳,抑菌带宽度达32.2mm。根据形态特征、生理生化特性、(G+C)mol%和16SrDNA序列分析,将菌株XF136鉴定为解淀粉芽孢杆菌(Bacillus amyloliquefaciens)。室内测定菌株XF136发酵滤液对灰霉病菌菌丝生长及分生孢子萌发的抑制作用,结果表明,菌株XF136发酵滤液可以抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发,且浓度越高,抑制能力越强;当发酵滤液浓度为20%时则完全抑制灰霉病菌菌丝生长和分生孢子萌发。盆栽防效试验结果表明,10%菌株XF136发酵滤液对番茄灰霉病防治效果与50%多菌灵600倍液相当,20%发酵滤液对番茄灰霉病的防治效果高于50%多菌灵600倍液。本研究表明,菌株XF136是防治番茄灰霉病潜在的优良生防菌株,具有良好的开发应用价值。     

中央灰质内注射去甲肾上腺素对刺激兔下丘脑诱发室性期前收缩的影响

家兔用乌拉坦(700mg/kg)和氯醛糖(35mg/kg)静脉麻醉,用三碘季铵酚制动,在人工呼吸下进行实验。用电刺激下丘脑近中线区的方法诱发室性期前收缩(HVE)。中脑中央灰质(CG)内微量注射去甲肾上腺素(NA,4μg/2μl)对 HVE 有易化效应,使 HVE 次数增多。微量注射β-肾上腺素能受体阻断剂心得宁(2μg/2μl)使 HVE 次数明显减少,而α-肾上腺素能受体阻断剂酚妥拉明(2μg/2μl)则对 HVE 次数无明显减少作用。事先在 CG 内微量注射心得宁也可阻断 CG 内注入 NA 对 HVE 的易化效应。在 CG 内注射 NA 后,再在 CG 内微量注射吗啡,后者对 HVE 的抑制效应仍然存在。但在 GG 内注射 NA 可减少或消除刺激腓深神经对 HVE 的抑制作用。上述结果提示,在 CG 内β-受体的激活可增加 HVE 次数。刺激腓深神经对 HVE 的抑制作用可能部份是通过内源性吗啡样物质抑制 CG 内 NA 的释放而实现的。     

DIEL VARIATION IN MIGRATION RATES OF EASTERN PACIFIC GRAY WHALES MEASURED WITH THERMAL IMAGING SENSORS

We recorded the blows of gray whales during their southbound migration past central California in January 1994, 1995, and 1996, using thermal imaging sensors. For our sampling purposes, we defined day (0730–1630) and night (1630–0730) to coincide with the on/off effort periods of the visual counts being conducted concurrently. We pooled data across the three years of sampling and tested for diel variation in surfacing interval, pod size, offshore distance, migration rate, and swimming speed by comparing paired day/night means for samples collected within the respective 24-h period. We performed these tests using data from the entire migration period and then repeated the tests for samples collected prior to and after the approximate median migration date (15 January). Over the entire migration period we observed larger diurnal pod sizes (x?_day= 1.75 ± 0.280, x?_night= 1.63 ± 0.232) and greater diurnal offshore distances (x?_day= 2.30 ± 0.328 km, x?_night= 2.03 ± 0.356 km) but found no diel variation in surfacing interval. For the entire migration period, the nocturnal migration rate (average number of whales passing per hour) was higher than the diurnal rate. During the first half of the migration we detected no diel variation in pod size or surfacing interval, but diurnal offshore distances were larger than at night (x?_day= 2.28 ± 0.273 km, x?_night= 1.96 ± 0.318 km). Diurnal and nocturnal migration rates prior to 15 January were not different. During the second half of the migration, there was no diel variation in surfacing interval, pod size, or distance offshore, but the nocturnal migration rate was higher (28%, SE = 11.6%) than the diurnal rate. We found no diel variation in swimming speed in any comparison. We propose that later migrants socialize more during the day, which effectively slows their diurnal rate of migration relative to nocturnal rates.     

Is the existence of a mutualistic relationship between Lobesia botrana and Botrytis cinerea well-founded?

Some studies have highlighted benefits for Lobesia botrana by adding Botrytis cinerea mycelium to an artificial larval diet and have suggested a mutualistic relationship between the two organisms on grapevine, hypothesizing that fungal sterols were the nutritional factor involved. Because the nutritional quality of an artificial diet should be similar to grapes to allow extrapolation of the results to the field conditions, in the current study L. botrana larval performance was compared when larvae were fed on grapes (berries) or two artificial diets either with or without enrichment with B. cinerea. Based on sterol analysis, the two artificial diets had high cholesterol content, but relative to berries showed comparable and low phytosterol contents, respectively (high- and low-phytosterol, HPh, and LPh). While larval fitness on the HPh diet was similar to berries, the LPh diet led to higher mortality and worse larval performance. The addition of the fungus compensated for the shortage in the LPh diet but did not improve the HPh diet. Supplementing the LPh diet with linoleic acid, which is supplied also from B. cinerea, partially improved larval performance. In a field experiment, females did not show any egg-laying preferences towards naturally botrytized bunches. The positive effect of B. cinerea on the moth's next generation that is reported in the literature could be a consequence of fungus developed inside berry tunnels bored by larvae. Therefore, based on our data and previous reports the existence of a mutualistic relationship between L. botrana and B. cinerea is not well-founded.     

5-羟色胺和一氧化氮合酶在大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质 和中缝核簇神经元内的共存

实验采用 NADPH组织化学和 5 - HT免疫组织化学双重显色方法研究了 5 - HT和一氧化氮合酶在大鼠中脑导水管周围灰质 (PAG)和中缝核簇神经元的分布特征及共存情况。结果表明 ;(1 )在 PAG腹外侧区中观察到大量的 NOS阳性神经元和 5 - HT样免疫阳性神经元 ,但是 NOS/ 5 - HT双标神经元较少 ,仅占该区 5 - HT样免疫阳性神经元 2 0 .1 % ,并且主要分布在该区的内侧部 ;在 PAG的背外侧区中观察到密集的 NOS阳性神经元 ,但是几乎未见 5 - HT免疫阳性神经元分布。(2 )在中缝核簇的大多数亚核内均可观察到大量的 NOS神经元和 5 - HT免疫阳性神经元。在中缝背核的内侧部、中缝背核的尾侧部、中缝正中核、尾侧线形核、中缝大核和中缝隐核内双标神经元分别占所在部位中 5 - HT免疫阳性神经元的 44 .6 %、5 3.4%、 44 .4%、 2 6 .2 %、 2 6 .7%和 2 1 .8%。然而在中缝苍白核内仅偶见少数双标神经元。研究结果表明 ,在 PAG和中缝核簇的一些神经元内 5 - HT可以与 NOS共存 ,提示这两种神经活性物质在功能上可能存在着某种相关性 ,有关这些双标神经元的功能意义尚需进一步研究。     

An in‐field experimental test of pinniped behavioral types

There has been extensive recent interest in the concepts of behavioral types, behavioral syndromes, and personalities in nonhuman animal species. Evidence for behavioral types now exists from a wide range of taxa, from mollusks to mammals. However, marine mammals are poorly represented in this literature. Here, we describe an in‐field experimental test of behavioral types in breeding gray seals, using a remotely controlled vehicle to deliver a standardized test stimulus to target individuals. We report on the design and implementation of this test and on the behavioral responses of individuals. Analysis of behavioral responses from both males and females revealed consistent individual differences across tests, suggesting that this is a practical and viable technique for determining individual variation in behavioral type in the field. Despite extensive literature on behavioral types, studies of behavioral types in wild populations remain rare. It is, therefore, important to develop ways to identify and quantify the existence of behavioral types in natural populations, because only by doing this, can we hope to ascertain the ecological and evolutionary relevance of behavioral types.     

A Comparative Study of Excitatory and Inhibitory Amino Acids in Three Different Brainstem Nuclei

This study was designed to shed more light onto the three different brainstem regions which are implicated in the pain pathway for the level of various excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters before and following neuronal stimulation. The in vivo microdialysis technique was used in awake, freely moving adult Sprague-Dawley rats. The neurotransmitters studied included aspartate, glutamate, GABA, glycine, and taurine. The three brainstem regions examined included the mid-brain periaqueductal gray (PAG), the medullary nucleus raphe magnus (NRM), and the spinal trigeminal nucleus (STN). Neuronal stimulation was achieved following the administration of the sodium channel activator veratridine. The highest baseline levels of glutamate (P < 0.0001), aspartate (P < 0.0001), GABA (P < 0.01), taurine (P < 0.0001), and glycine (P < 0.001) were seen in the NRM. On the other hand, the lowest baseline levels of glutamate, GABA, glycine, and taurine were found in the PAG, while that of aspartate was found in the STN. Following the administration of veratridine, the highest release of the above neurotransmitters except for the aspartate and glycine was found in the PAG where the level of glutamate increased by 1,310 ± 293% (P < 0.001), taurine by 1,008 ± 143% (P < 0.01), and GABA by 10,358 ± 1,920% (P < 0.0001) when comparison was performed among the three brainstem regions and in relation to the baseline levels. The highest release of aspartate was seen in the STN (2,357 ± 1,060%, P < 0.001), while no significant difference was associated with glycine. On the other hand, the lowest release of GABA and taurine was found in the STN (696 ± 91 and 305 ± 25%, respectively), and glutamate and aspartate in the NRM (558 ± 200 and 874 ± 315%, respectively). Our results indicate, and for the first time, that although some differences are seen in the baseline levels of the above neurotransmitters in the three regions studied, there are quite striking variations in the level of release of these neurotransmitters following neuronal stimulation in these regions. In our opinion this is the first study to describe the pain activation/modulation related changes of the excitatory and inhibitory amino acids profile of the three different brainstem areas.