Characterization of Phytoplasmas Related to 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' and Peanut WB Group Associated With Sweet Cherry Diseases in Iran

Symptoms suggestive of phytoplasma diseases were observed in infected sweet cherry trees growing in the central regions of Iran. Phytoplasmas were detected in symptomatic trees by the nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) using phytoplasma universal primer pairs (P1/Tint, PA2F/R, R16F2/R2 and NPA2F/R). Restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of 485 bp DNA fragments amplified in nested PCR revealed that different phytoplamas were associated with infected trees. Sequence analyses of phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S intergenic spacer region indicated that the phytoplasmas related to ' Ca. Phytoplasma asteris ' and peanut WB group infect sweet cherry trees in these regions. This is the first report of the presence of phytoplasmas related to ' Ca. Phytoplasma asteris' and peanut WB group in sweet cherry trees.     

花发育阶段以及温度对不同品种甜樱桃柱头可授性的影响

以‘布鲁克斯’、‘美早’、‘红蜜’等5个甜樱桃(Prunus avium)品种为试材,检测不同品种甜樱桃花期不同发育阶段的柱头可授性;并利用人工气候箱模拟花期低温(2 ℃/10 ℃)、常温(6 ℃/18 ℃)、高温(12 ℃/24 ℃)以及超高温(12 ℃/24 ℃/30 ℃)环境,研究不同温度处理对甜樱桃柱头可授性的影响。结果表明：(1)‘美早’、‘先锋’和‘萨米脱’适宜的授粉温度是常温(6 ℃/18 ℃)环境,‘红蜜’适宜的授粉温度是高温(12 ℃/24 ℃)环境,‘布鲁克斯’适宜授粉的温度范围更广,在常温(6 ℃/18 ℃)和高温(12 ℃/24 ℃)环境条件下其柱头均具有较高的活性。(2)‘红蜜’柱头对花期低温(2 ℃/10 ℃)和超高温(12 ℃/24 ℃/30 ℃)的抗性较强;‘布鲁克斯’和‘萨米脱’柱头对花期超高温(12 ℃/24 ℃/30 ℃)抗性较差;‘美早’柱头对花期低温(6 ℃/10 ℃)的抗性较强,但对花期高温(12 ℃/24 ℃)的抗性较差;‘先锋’柱头对花期低温(6 ℃/10 ℃)和超高温(12 ℃/24 ℃/30 ℃)均无明显抗性。研究认为,低温(2 ℃/10 ℃)对甜樱桃柱头可授性的影响主要在开花之后,而超高温(12 ℃/24 ℃/30 ℃)对整个开花过程柱头可授性的影响都很大。     

Genetic evidence for sexual reproduction and multiple infections of Norway spruce cones by the rust fungus Thekopsora areolata

Rust fungi are obligate parasites, of plants, with complex and in many cases poorly known life cycles which may include host alteration and up to five spore types with haploid, diploid, and dikaryotic nuclear stages. This study supports that Thekopasora areolata, the causal agent of cherry‐spruce rust in Norway spruce, is a macrocyclic heteroecious fungus with all five spore stages which uses two host plants Prunus padus and Picea abies to complete its life cycle. High genotypic diversity without population structure was found, which suggests predominantly sexual reproduction, random mating and a high gene flow within and between the populations in Fennoscandia. There was no evidence for an autoecious life cycle resulting from aeciospore infection of pistillate cones that would explain the previously reported rust epidemics without the alternate host. However, within cones and scales identical multilocus genotypes were repeatedly sampled which can be explained by vegetative growth of the fertilized mycelia or repeated mating of mycelium by spermatia of the same genotype. The high genotypic diversity within cones and haplotype inference show that each pistillate cone is infected by several basidiospores. This study provides genetic evidence for high gene flow, sexual reproduction, and multiple infections of Norway spruce cone by the rust fungus T. areolata which expands the general understanding of the biology of rust fungi.     

Barley yellow dwarf virus transmission and feeding behaviour of Rhopalosiphum padi on Hordeum bulbosum clones

A Hordeum bulbosum L. (Poaceae) clone A17 was identified, which showed complete resistance to Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and Cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV). It was not possible to infect plants of A17 with BYDV‐PAV, ‐MAV, or with CYDV‐RPV by the aphid vectors Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) or Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (both Hemiptera: Aphididae). Plants of the A17 clone and of the BYDV‐susceptible H. bulbosum clone A21 revealed some resistance to R. padi compared to the susceptible winter barley cultivar Rubina [Hordeum vulgare L. (Poaceae)]. The development time to the imago was longer and the number of nymphs was reduced on both clones compared with cv. Rubina. The probing and feeding behaviour of R. padi on plants of the H. bulbosum clones was studied over 12 h and compared with that on plants of the barley cv. Rubina. Principal component analysis of the results of the feeding behaviour revealed a clear separation of the H. bulbosum genotypes from Rubina. On H. bulbosum the number of penetrations was higher but total feeding time was shorter. Significant differences were mainly found in the phloem feeding parameters for plants of both clones in comparison to Rubina, with the virus resistant A17 clone having the strongest effect and the susceptible A21 clone being intermediate. Most significant differences were found in parameters of the phloem salivation phase. On A17, an average of less than one (0.9) E1 phase per plant was observed (3.3 on A21 and 5.7 on Rubina) and its duration was reduced to less than 1 min (0.9 min) in comparison to 2.4 min on A21 and 5.7 min on Rubina. Also, the phloem feeding (E2) phase was clearly reduced on A17 plants with 0.5 E2 phases per test and a mean duration of 1.1 min in contrast with 2.9 and 3.5 E2 phases per test and 34.1 and 421.3 min for A21 and Rubina, respectively. These results point towards a phloem‐localized factor for aphid resistance in H. bulbosum, i.e., on A17 plants the phloem salivation time is too short for a successful infection by BYDV leading to vector resistance.     

Phylogeography of the Afromontane Prunus africana reveals a former migration corridor between East and West African highlands

Scattered populations of the same tree species in montane forests through Africa have led to speculations on the origins of distributions. Here, we inferred the colonization history of the Afromontane tree Prunus africana using seven chloroplast DNA loci to study 582 individuals from 32 populations sampled in a range-wide survey from across Africa, revealing 22 haplotypes. The predominant haplotype, HT1a, occurred in 13 populations of eastern and southern Africa, while a second common haplotype, HT1m, occurred in populations of western Uganda and western Africa. The high differentiation observed between populations in East Africa was unexpected, with stands in western Uganda belonging with the western African lineage. High genetic differentiation among populations revealed using ordered alleles (N(ST) = 0.840) compared with unordered alleles (G(ST) = 0.735), indicated a clear phylogeographic pattern. Bayesian coalescence modelling suggested that 'east' and 'west' African types likely split early during southward migration of the species, while further more recent splitting events occurred among populations in the East of the continent. The high genetic similarity found between western Uganda and west African populations indicates that a former Afromontane migration corridor may have existed through Equatorial Africa.     

Improved production of erythromycin by Saccharopolyspora erythraea by various plant oils

Various plant oils (50 g l^–1) increased the production of erythromycin by Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Maximum titer of erythromycin in media containing black cherry kernel, walnut, rapeseed, olive and cottonseed oils and control medium were 3.5, 2.8, 2.6, 2.1, 1.9, 0.7 g l^–1, respectively. Erythromycin production media containing rapeseed or cottonseed oil was growth-dependent but not in other media used.     

氮素形态对樱桃番茄果实发育中氮代谢的影响

以樱桃番茄为材料,采用基质 营养液共培养的方法,研究了全硝态氮(NO₃^-）、铵态氮和硝态氮配施（75%NO₃^-∶25%NH₄⁺）及全铵态氮（NH₄⁺）营养对樱桃番茄果实氮代谢及硝酸还原酶（NR）和谷氨酰胺合成酶（GS）基因表达的影响.结果表明： 铵态氮和硝态氮配施处理下樱桃番茄的单果质量比全硝态氮处理略有增加,且果实中NH₄⁺、总氨基酸、氮含量和氮素累积量均显著高于全硝态氮处理;全硝态氮及铵态氮和硝态氮配施处理下果实NR活性及其基因表达没有明显差异,但都显著高于全铵态氮处理;铵态氮和硝态氮配施处理下果实GS活性都高于全硝态氮处理.不同形态氮素及配施处理下,同工酶GS1（胞质型GS）和GS2（叶绿体型GS）的表达与GS的活性不一致,说明氮素对GS活性的影响主要发生在转录后水平.     

A New Somaclone of Prunus Avium Shows Diverse Growth Pattern under Different Spectral Quality of Radiation

The aim of this research was to set up a regeneration protocol from mature explants of Prunus avium L. cv. Hedelfinger and to develop an early screening method for selection of putative somaclones based on morphological and physiological traits regulated by the spectral quality of radiation. DNA analyses of a new somaclone named HS, conducted using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR), revealed a polymorphism between the somaclone HS and wild type propagated by microcuttings. When grown under different spectral quality of radiation, somaclone HS showed a different pattern of growth and development compared to the wild type with the main modifications related to apical dominance and chlorophyll production. Somaclone HS showed reduced apical dominance compared to the wild type. Wild type shoots grown in darkness showed chlorophyll a and b contents at levels in both cases comparable to those recorded under red radiation while HS did not retain the same capability.     

高O2或高CO2浓度气调贮藏对“那翁”甜樱桃采后生理和贮藏性的影响

研究了甜樱桃品种“那翁”（Prunus avium L.cv.Napoleon)在1℃的高O2浓度气调（CA－1：70％ O2＋0％,CO2）,高CO2浓度气调（CA－II：5％ O2＋10％ CO2）,自发气调（modified atmosphere package,MAP)和普通冷藏条件下果实生理,品质,耐藏性的变化,结果表明：与其他处理相比,高O2浓度的气调可以抑制果实腐烂,减少果肉中乙醇含量,但果实的丙二醛（MDA）含量迅速上升,褐变严重,高CO2浓度的气调能有效抑制MDA含量上升的速率和多酚氧化酶（PPO）活性,保持果实硬度和维生素C含量,减少果实腐烂和褐变,延长贮藏寿命,不同处理对果实可溶性固形物含量的影响不大。“那翁”甜樱桃在5％ O2＋10％ CO2气调中贮藏80d能保持果实固有的风味品质。在MAP下,70％O2＋0％CO2和普通冷藏中的适宜贮藏期分别为40d,20d和30d。     

Insecticide,sugar, and diet effects on feeding and mortality in Rhagoletis indifferens (Dipt., Tephritidae)

The effects of spinosad bait and various insecticides, the presence of sugar in insecticides, and diet on feeding responses and mortality in western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Dipt., Tephritidae), were determined. Numbers of feeding events on insecticides with sugar were greater than on insecticides alone, but there was only a small effect of diet on feeding responses to insecticides with sugar. Feeding durations on imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and acetamiprid with sugar were shorter than on sugar water and spinosad bait, as the neonicotinoids paralysed flies quickly. Flies that fed on sugar only (nitrogen‐starved) suffered higher mortalities when exposed to spinosad, thiamethoxam and azinphos‐methyl than to imidacloprid, acetamiprid and indoxacarb, and mortality in between these two groups of treatments when exposed to spinosad bait. Mortalities were greater when sugar was added to insecticides, and were higher in nitrogen‐starved than fully‐fed (yeast extract + sugar fed) flies. Flies that fed once on thiamethoxam were killed more quickly than those that fed once on spinosad bait and spinosad. Results suggest that thiamethoxam is comparable to spinosad in its effects on mortality, and that using it with sugar in bait may also have similar results as using spinosad bait or spinosad. One benefit of using thiamethoxam with sugar may be that it kills flies more quickly, before they can oviposit, than spinosad bait, although whether a fly will feed on it may depend on how much sugar or nitrogenous food it has eaten.