Biocontrol of Ailanthus altissima: inoculation protocol and risk assessment for Verticillium nonalfalfae (Plectosphaerellaceae: Phyllachorales)

Verticillium nonalfalfae has been proposed as a biocontrol for invasive Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven) in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. However, previous studies evaluating this potential biocontrol utilised a conidial suspension with a short shelf life as inoculum. Anticipating future expanded use of V. nonalfalfae, we evaluated other inoculum formulations, inoculation protocols and sensitivity of non-target (non-Ailanthus) plant species within Pennsylvania. The most effective inoculum formulation, with an extended shelf life, was prepared by mixing water with stored, refrigerated soil containing V. nonalfalfae. Less successful, but positive infections were obtained by simply using infected Ailanthus wood and leaves as inoculum. Monthly inoculation of Ailanthus trees demonstrated that the optimal time for successful inoculations was April to May, but limited infections were achieved during all months, including the winter. The health of Ailanthus and non-target species was evaluated within a decade-old natural Verticillium wilt epicentre, where all mature Ailanthus trees had been killed by V. nonalfalfae. Verticillium wilt was observed on a few small Ailanthus trees, likely newly established seedlings, whereas non-target species were asymptomatic. Our findings reveal that soil formulated and natural inocula are effective biocontrols against Ailanthus, and V. nonalfalfae appears to pose little threat to non-target plants.     

Storage-protein variation in wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp.dicoccoides) from Jordan and Turkey. I. Electrophoretic characterization of genotypes

Seed storage-protein variation at theGlu-A1,Glu-B1 andGli-B1/Glu-B3 loci in the tetraploid wild progenitor of wheat,T. dicoccoides, was studied electrophoretically in 315 individuals representing nine populations from Jordan and three from Turkey. A total of 44 different HMW-glutenin patterns were identified, resulting from the combination of 15 alleles in the A genome and 19 in the B genome. Twenty-seven new allelic variants, 12 at theGlu-A1 locus and 15 at theGlu-B1 locus, were identified by comparing the mobilities of their subunits to those previously found in bread and durum wheats. The novel variants include six alleles at theGlu-A1 locus showing both x and y subunits. The genes coding for the 1Bx and 1By subunits showed no or very little (3%) inactivity, the 1Ax gene showed a moderate degree (6.3%) of inactivity whereas the gene coding for lAy showed the highest degree of inactivity (84.8%). A high level of polymorphism was also present for the omega- and gamma-gliadins and LMW-glutenin subunits encoded by genes at the linkedGli-B1 andGlu-B3 loci (19 alleles). Some Jordanian accessions were found to contain omega-gliadin 35, gamma-gliadin 45, and LMW-2 also present in cultivated durum wheats and related to good gluten viscoelasticity. The newly-discovered alleles enhance the genetic variability available for improving the technological quality of wheats. Additionally some of them may facilitate basic research on the relationship between industrial properties and the number and functionality of HMW- and LMW-glutenin subunits.     

Cotyledon venation patterns in the Leguminosae: Gaesalpinioideae

Cotyledon venation patterns are described for 93 species representing all tribes of the Caesalpinioideae. Patterns are grouped into a series of levels of complexity according to the number of primary veins, nine, seven, six, five, three or one, but five- and three-vein patterns predominate. The number of petiolar vascular strands varies from one to eight but most species have two or four strands. It is proposed that all the patterns have been derived from one in which four strands and a protoxylem trace in the petiole branch and anastomose to form seven primary veins in the lamina. Venation patterns show correlations with cotyledon anatomy, size and shape and with taxonomic grouping at tribal, infratribal and generic levels. Each tribe is characterized by a particular set of related patterns, pattern frequencies and evolutionary trends.     

Effects of varying character definitions on classification of Genisteae (Leguminosae)

Six different sets of morphological taxonomic data were recorded for 175 species of the tribe Genisteae; these were based on the same observations, but four data sets differed in the definition of character states and three data sets differed in the method of selecting characters. Linkage diagrams drawn from single-link clustering results were markedly different for each data set and might have led taxonomists to propose quite different classifications. The arrangements in five of the six results agreed closely in parts with one or more of the four published systems for the tribe. It is concluded that the characterization of interspecific variation in the Genisteae into comparative characters is an unstable process, and that this process may be unstable in other instances.     

Morphogenetic seed types of Spermatophyta

The embryo stage of development and the nature of the reserve tissues are analyzed according to the timing of the morphogenetic factors during ontogeny. A seed characterization system and a seed formula are proposed. Several typological systems characterize seeds, based mainly on the size and position of the embryo and other external characters. This paper proposes a system based on morphogenetic factors that act on the embryo and determine the origin of reserve tissues. Seed morphogenesis results from a series of phenomena whose temporal sequence varies according to the genetic program of each species. Such peculiarities were selected for by environmental pressures, and their morphological expression reflects their adaptation. Such a system may offer insights into the ecology and evolution of particular species.     

Tailored TiO2 Protection Layer Enabled Efficient and Stable Microdome Structured p‐GaAs Photoelectrochemical Cathodes

Group III–V compound semiconductors are a promising group of materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) applications. In this work, a metal assisted wet etching approach is adapted to acquiring a large‐area patterned microdome structure on p‐GaAs surface. In addition, atomic layer deposition is used to deposit a TiO₂ protection layer with controlled thickness and crystallinity. Based on a PEC photocathode design, the optimal configuration achieves a photocurrent of ?5 mA cm^?2 under ?0.8 V versus Ag/AgCl in a neutral pH electrolyte. The TiO₂ coating with a particular degree of crystallization deposited via controlled temperature demonstrates a superior stability over amorphous coating, enabling a remarkably stable operation, for as long as 60 h. The enhanced charge separation induced by favorable band alignment between GaAs and TiO₂ contributes simultaneously to the elevated solar conversion efficiency. This approach provides a promising solution to further development of group III–V compounds and other photoelectrodes with high efficiency and excellent durability for solar fuel generation.     

How do depth,duration and frequency of flooding influence the establishment of wetland plant communities?

In many temporary wetlands such as those on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales Australia, the development of plant communities is largely the result of germination and establishment from a long-lived, dormant seed bank, and vegetative propagules that survive drought. In these wetlands the pattern of plant zonation can differ from year to year and season to season, and depth is not always a good indicator of the plant community composition in different zones. In order to determine which aspects of water regime (depth, duration or frequency of flooding) were important in the development of plant communities an experiment using seed bank material from two wetlands was undertaken over a 16 week period in late spring–early summer 1995–1996. Seed bank samples were exposed to 17 different water-level treatments with different depths, durations and frequencies of flooding. Species richness and biomass of the communities that established from the seed bank were assessed at the end of the experiment and the data were examined to determine which aspects of water regime were important in the development of the different communities. It was found that depth, duration and frequency of inundation influenced plant community composition, but depth was least important, and also that the duration of individual flooding events was important in segregating the plant communities. Species were grouped according to their ability to tolerate or respond to fluctuations in flooding and drying. The highest biomass and species richness developed in pots that were never flooded. Least biomass and species richness developed in pots that were continuously flooded. Short frequent floods promoted high species richness and biomass especially of Amphibious fluctuation-tolerator species and Amphibious fluctuation-responder species that have heterophylly. Terrestrial species were able to establish during dry phases between short floods. Depth was important in determining whether Amphibious fluctuation-tolerator or Amphibious fluctuation-responder species had greater biomass. Longer durations of flooding lowered species richness and the biomass of terrestrial species. Experiments of this kind can assist in predicting vegetation response to water-level variation in natural and modified wetlands.     

Site conditions exert more control than genetic differentiation on modulation of secondary growth and climate sensitivity of Pinus pinaster

The adaptive potential and genetic background of tree species will determine their performance and vitality under changing climate conditions. How environment and genotype influence secondary growth and their climate sensitivity in boreal and temperate conifers has been fairly studied. Provenance studies assessing the genetic variation in plasticity of radial growth, however, are scarce in Mediterranean tree species. We explored the impact of climate on tree-ring growth in Pinus pinaster based on plantation sites and genetic background. We assessed the climate sensitivity, plastic response of growth, and intraspecific genetic differentiation of pines from 10 provenances planted in two trials in south-central Spain. Trees from areas with a climate similar to that of the planting sites showed greater growth rates. Higher within-site than among-site similitude in inter-annual growth variation was evidenced by similar growth patterns in each trial test, irrespective of seed provenance. We found positive growth responses to mild conditions in late winter, and to wet and cloudy conditions in spring and early summer. Greater site-dependent than genetically-driven control was observed on growth sensitivity to climate. Central Spanish seed sources were better able to withstand the combination of stressful environmental conditions in the test sites. Inter-site environmental variation was the factor that explained a higher number of growth responses to climate variation. The significant “genetic × environment” interaction on radial growth suggested that genotypic determinants were strongly modulated by plastic adaptations due to local conditions. The site-dependent relationships of provenance climate responses with the conditions at origin also reflected the prevailing local adaptation to site constraints. Since plastic response of P. pinaster trees to local environment has more influence than its genetic predisposition, assessing the spatio-temporal variation of growth sensitivity to climate becomes increasingly important.     

新疆焉耆盆地种子植物区系特征分析

焉耆盆地位于新疆天山中段南麓,在植被地理区划上属于新疆暖温带灌木、半灌木荒漠区,其独特的自然地理位置和生态环境孕育了较为丰富的植物资源,研究其种子植物区系多样性分布特点对该区植物资源保护及可持续开发利用具有极其重要的意义。本研究通过野外实地调查及查阅相关文献资料,对新疆焉耆盆地的种子植物区系分布特点进行了系统分析。结果显示,该区种子植物约有1035种,隶属于80科373属,其中新疆特有种有38种,占新疆特有种总种数的14.18%。区系地理成分中,在科级水平上,焉耆盆地种子植物80科可划分为6个分布区类型和7个变型,并以温带地理成分为主(共有22个科),占该区非世界分布科总科数的57.89%;在属级水平上,焉耆盆地种子植物373属可划分为12个分布区类型和17个变型,并以温带地理成分为主(共197属),占非世界分布属总属数的62.54%。焉耆盆地种子植物生活型中,草本植物占优势,共有901种,占该区种子植物总种数的87.05%;灌木有110种(占10.63%),乔木17种(占1.64%),藤本7种(占0.68%)。焉耆盆地种子植物生态类型中,中生类型676种,占该区种子植物总种数的65.31%;旱生类型有191种(占18.45%),湿生类型123种(占11.88%),水生类型45种(占4.35%)。