Are Drosophila preferences for yeasts stable or contextual?

Whether there are general mechanisms, driving interspecific chemical communication is uncertain. Saccharomycetaceae yeast and Drosophila fruit flies, both extensively studied research models, share the same fruit habitat, and it has been suggested their interaction comprises a facultative mutualism that is instigated and maintained by yeast volatiles. Using choice tests, experimental evolution, and volatile analyses, we investigate the maintenance of this relationship and reveal little consistency between behavioral responses of two isolates of sympatric Drosophila species. While D. melanogaster was attracted to a range of different Saccharomycetaceae yeasts and this was independent of fruit type, D. simulans preference appeared specific to a particular S. cerevisiae genotype isolated from a vineyard fly population. This response, however, was not consistent across fruit types and is therefore context‐dependent. In addition, D. simulans attraction to an individual S. cerevisiae isolate was pliable over ecological timescales. Volatile candidates were analyzed to identify a common signal for yeast attraction, and while D. melanogaster generally responded to fermentation profiles, D. simulans preference was more discerning and likely threshold‐dependent. Overall, there is no strong evidence to support the idea of bespoke interactions with specific yeasts for either of these Drosophila genotypes. Rather the data support the idea Drosophila are generally adapted to sense and locate fruits infested by a range of fungal microbes and/or that yeast–Drosophila interactions may evolve rapidly.     

A systematic study of North American Angelica species (Apiaceae) based on nrDNA ITS and cpDNA sequences and fruit morphology

Angelica is a taxonomically complex genus widespread throughout the North Temperate Zone. Previous phylogenetic studies of the genus have focused primarily on its East Asian species. The relationships among its North American members, the monophyly of these species, and the value of fruit morphology in circumscribing its taxa have yet to be examined. This study represents the most comprehensive sampling of Angelica to date (100 species) and includes all 26 species in North America. Relationships are inferred using Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood, and maximum parsimony analyses of ITS sequences and, for multiple accessions of each North American species, cpDNA ndhF-rpl32, rpl32-trnL, and psbM-psbD sequences. The fruit morphological characters examined were those considered phylogenetically important in East Asian Angelica. The results revealed that the North American species fell into three major clades: North American Angelica clade, Archangelica clade, and the Eurasian Angelica clade. Angelica dawsonii has affinities with Lomatium brandegeei. Fourteen species within the North American Angelica clade were strongly supported as monophyletic. Two paraphyletic species resulted in new combinations in A. lineariloba and A. venenosa. Conflict between the ITS-derived and cpDNA-derived phylogenies and the lack of resolution in portions of the trees may be due to chloroplast capture and rapid species radiation. Fruit morphology supported some interspecific relationships based on molecular data, and relationships revealed by ITS and cpDNA data were roughly in accordance with fruit classification type and geographic distribution region, respectively. A diagnostic key based on fruit morphology is provided for the identification of the North American Angelica taxa.     

First fossil fruits of Elaeocarpus (Elaeocarpaceae) in East Asia: Implications for phytogeography and paleoecology

The genus Elaeocarpus contains approximately 360 species and occurs in mesic forest communities from India, through to China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, and New Caledonia. Elaeocarpus fossils are best known from the Eocene to the Miocene of Australia and the late Pliocene–early Pleistocene of India, but have not been documented from East Asia before. Here we describe six new species of Elaeocarpus, E. nanningensis sp. nov. from the late Oligocene Yongning Formation of the Nanning Basin, E. presikkimensis sp. nov. from the Miocene Erzitang Formation of the Guiping Basin, E. prerugosus sp. nov., E. prelacunosus sp. nov., E. preserratus sp. nov., and E. preprunifolioides sp. nov. from the late Miocene Foluo Formation of the Nankang Basin in Guangxi, South China. This is the first reliable report for the genus occurring in East Asia, and the fossils indicate that Elaeocarpus had colonized this region by the late Oligocene and represented by a morphologically diverse group of species by the late Miocene. This sheds new insights into the timing and migration patterns of the genus in East Asia. Elaeocarpus is typically a rainforest genus occurring in mesic forests. Based on the habitat of their morphologically similar modern relatives we propose that these three sedimentary basins were warm and wet adjacent to mountainous regions with the evergreen or rain forests during the late Oligocene to Miocene.     

Attraction of Fruit-Eating Bats with Essential Oils of Fruits: A Potential Tool for Forest Restoration

Previous tests with essential oils from ripe chiropterochoric fruits suggested they can be used to attract and capture fruit-eating bats inside forest remnants. Here we evaluated the efficiency of these oils to attract frugivorous bats to open areas. We performed field tests with artificial fruits impregnated with essential oils of the genera Piper or Ficus that were attached to two groups of mist-nets set 50 m outside the border of a forest remnant. One group of artificial fruits received the corresponding oil isolated through hydrodistillation and the other received water only. Fruits with oils attracted significantly more fruit-eating bats, especially Artibeus lituratus that regularly crosses open habitats to reach other forest remnants. The highly significant attraction of A. lituratus by the oil of Piper was unexpected, since this bat is a specialist on Ficus fruits. We hypothesize that in habitats with no fruit available it is possible to attract frugivorous bats with the odor of several ripe fruit species. Furthermore, we verified that almost half of the individuals captured defecated seeds, indicating that the oils also attract recently fed bats, even when their preferred food is available nearby. This technique potentially may increase seed rain at specific locations, being particularly promising to restoration projects.     

The strange case of a biofilm-forming strain of Pichia fermentans, which controls Monilinia brown rot on apple but is pathogenic on peach fruit

A biofilm-forming strain of Pichia fermentans proved to be most effective in controlling brown rot on apple fruit when coinoculated into artificial wounds with a phytopathogenic isolate of Monilinia fructicola. Culture filtrates and autoclaved cells had no significant influence on the disease. When sprayed onto the apple fruit surface, this yeast formed a thin biofilm but failed to colonize the underlying tissues. When inoculated into wounds artificially inflicted to peach fruit or when sprayed onto the surface of peach fruit, the same strain showed an unexpected pathogenic behaviour, causing rapid decay of fruit tissues even in the absence of M. fructicola. Both optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate the pattern of fruit tissue colonization by P. fermentans. While on apple surface and within the apple wound the antagonist retained its yeast-like shape, colonization of peach fruit tissue was always characterized by a transition from budding growth to pseudohyphal growth. These results suggest that pseudohyphal growth plays a major role in governing the potential pathogenicity of P. fermentans, further emphasizing the importance of a thorough risk assessment for the safe use of any novel biocontrol agent.     

Impact of plant growth regulators spray on fruit quantity and quality of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars grown under plastic tunnels

The study aims to investigate the effect of foliar spray with three plant growth regulators (PGRs) p-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid (CPA) at 20 and 40 ppm; Gibberellic acid (GA3) at 20 and 30 ppm, 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) at 10 and 20 ppm on the response of fruit set, yield, and fruit quality of some hot pepper cultivars (Chillina, Parbirian, Shampion, and Hyffa) grown in sandy soil under plastic tunnels as compared to the control. Spraying Chillina cultivar GA3 at 30 ppm significantly increased the number of fruits/ plant and fruit set (%), yield/plant, and total yield/fad. In addition, the contents of TSS and Vit C, furthermore, maximum capsaicin content were observed in chili fruits in both seasons. However, the interaction between Chillina cultivar and spraying with GA3 at 20 ppm ranked second in yield and quality. The interaction between Parbirian cultivars and spraying with GA3 at 20 or 30 ppm increased the number of flowers/plants in both seasons. On the other hand, the interaction between Shampion cultivar and spraying with tap water (control) gave the lowest values of the number of flowers/ plants, the number of fruits/ plant and fruit set (%), yield, and its components, and fruit quality in both seasons.     

贺兰山东麓酿酒葡萄品质成分对气象因子的响应特征

基于2018-2020年宁夏贺兰山东麓14个葡萄酒庄葡萄园酿酒葡萄品质检测和气象数据,分析影响酿酒葡萄品质成分的关键气象因子,构建酿酒葡萄品质成分与气象因子的关系模型,为提高葡萄园气候资源利用效率、提高葡萄园科学管理水平、主动适应气候变化提供参考依据。结果表明：(1)气象因子是影响酿酒葡萄品质的重要指标,在葡萄生长的全生育期均对葡萄品质产生直接或间接影响,对品质影响最大的时期是7～8月和采收前一个月的气象条件。(2)酿酒葡萄浆果品质受气象因子影响程度从大到小依次为pH、花青素、可滴定酸、总酚、糖酸比、固酸比、可溶性固形物、单宁、还原性糖含量。(3)空气相对湿度及最低气温的变化对酿酒葡萄品质成分影响较大。(4)降低7月的平均空气相对湿度及提高8月的平均空气相对湿度有利于浆果pH的降低;进一步结合浆果酸含量的累积特征,实际生产中应在8月份增加葡萄园灌溉量,以降低因气候变暖导致的酿酒葡萄含糖量偏高。(5)采收前20 d的适度高温与采前10 d的高湿环境有利于葡萄浆果总酚的累积,但后者会使果实中单宁含量下降;在采收前20 d内若环境最低温及最高温均较低,则不利于花青素累积;9月到采收前的生长度日(GDD)达到280 ℃·d左右时,葡萄果实的糖酸比达到最大值。     

无患子果实生长发育及其内含物的变化特征北大核心CSCD

以福建建宁县无患子为材料,观测果实生长动态,并采用Logistic方程对生长指标进行曲线拟合,观察生长过程中果皮显微结构变化,确定无患子果实生长发育的重要时期,为无患子的高效栽培管理和果实采收策略的制定提供科学依据。结果表明:(1)无患子果实生长、果皮总皂苷和种子油脂的积累规律相似,总体上呈Logistic增长模型的单“S”型曲线;果皮总皂苷和种子油脂的主要积累时期分别为45~90 DAP(花授粉后天数)和75~105 DAP。(2)无患子果皮除含有角质层、表皮细胞、厚角细胞、薄壁细胞、维管束、石细胞等基本结构外,还含有溶生式分泌腔和草酸钙簇晶等特征性结构;随着果实生长,分泌腔体积逐渐变大。(3)根据果实生长变化规律和Logistic方程拟合结果,可将无患子果实生长发育进程划分为生长初期(0~30 DAP)、速生期(30~90 DAP)、生长后期(90~120 DAP)和果实成熟期(120~150 DAP)4个阶段。在生产实践中果实成熟期内均适合果实采收,其中135和150 DAP分别为果实皂用和油用采收的最佳时期,此外还应根据每年天气状况对果实采收时间进行适当调整。     

遮光处理对观赏栀子氮、磷、钾分配与生长的影响

为探究观赏栀子在不同遮光条件下生长和光合及氮、磷、钾(N、P、K)分配的规律,该研究对3种观赏栀子设置5种不同的遮光处理(0%、60%、70%、80%、90%),通过对观赏栀子的生长和光合及各器官N、P、K含量进行统计与分析,探究了不同遮光处理对观赏栀子栽植效果的影响。结果表明:(1)60%和0%遮光率的大花栀子、80%和70%遮光率的雀舌栀子、0%遮光率的花叶栀子均长势较好。(2)随着遮光率的增加,雀舌栀子和花叶栀子的净光合速率、胞间CO₂浓度、蒸腾速率逐渐降低,气孔导度、水分瞬时利用率在遮光率60%下达到最大值。(3)大花栀子总N量最高,器官含N量高低排序为叶、根、茎; 雀舌栀子总P量最高,器官含P量排序为根、茎、叶; 大花栀子在90%遮光率下含K量最高。综合考虑认为,雀舌栀子更耐荫蔽,适合在80%和70%的遮光条件下生长; 大花栀子次之,适合在60%和0%遮光条件下生长; 花叶栀子最不耐荫,适合在0%遮光条件下生长。     

桑椹肥大性菌核病菌(Ciboria shiraiana)分生孢子的形成和致病性

[目的] 研究桑椹肥大性菌核病菌分生孢子的生物学特性,诱导菌丝产生分生孢子的方法及产生途径,为桑椹肥大性菌核病的防治提供依据。[方法] 显微镜下面观察病果形成不同阶段以及人工诱导产生的分生孢子形态特征;测定不同温度和湿度对菌丝产生分生孢子的影响;分别用病果和人工诱导产生的分生孢子悬浮液接种健康的桑椹,统计其发病率;以不同发病阶段的病椹在PDA、诱导培养基上产生的菌丝和菌核为材料,通过qPCR方法检测相关基因的表达水平,研究cAMP途径对于分生孢子形成的影响。[结果] C.shiraiana在温度为20℃-30℃,相对湿度为50%-80%条件下可以产生大量的分生孢子。人工诱导产生的分生孢子和病果中的分生孢子形态差异较大;病果中分生孢子悬浮液侵染健康的桑椹,其发病率为37%,而人工诱导产生的分生孢子对桑椹不具有侵染能力;分生孢子梗和分生孢子可在马铃薯片上被诱导产生;外源添加的cAMP影响菌丝的形态和分生孢子的形成,但不影响菌核的形成。AC含量在桑椹发病的第2阶段增长迅速,在发病的第3阶段和第4阶段迅速下降,PKA在发病的桑椹中始终没有表达。[结论] 桑椹肥大性菌核病病果可通过分生孢子造成再次侵染。分生孢子的形成对cAMP途径中的AC和PKA表达量起负调控作用。研究结果能够进一步增加我们对病原菌侵染桑果所需外界环境条件的理解,同时也进一步完善了C.shiraiana的侵染循环和分生孢子形成途径。