An approach for post‐market monitoring of potential environmental effects of Bt‐maize expressing Cry1Ab on natural enemies

Post‐market monitoring (PMM) consistent with Swiss and European Union legislation should ensure the detection and prevention of adverse effects on the environment possibly deriving from commercial cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops. Insect‐resistant GM crops (such as Bt‐maize) raise particular questions regarding disturbances of biological control functions provided by beneficial insects such as predators and parasitoids (so‐called natural enemies). Consensus among regulators, scientists and the agricultural biotech industry on appropriate PMM plans allowing the detection and possibly prevention of such adverse effects is still lacking. The aims of this study were to identify the necessity for PMM of Bt‐maize expressing Cry1Ab on natural enemies and to develop an appropriate PMM plan. The approach chosen consisted in determining what type of monitoring is most appropriate to address potential effects of Bt‐maize on natural enemies during commercial cultivation. This included identifying whether there remain substantial scientific uncertainties that would support case‐specific monitoring. Existing pre‐market risk assessment data indicate that Bt‐maize (Cry1Ab) comprises a negligible risk for disturbances in biological control functions of natural enemies. As a consequence, a faunistic monitoring of specific groups of natural enemies is not considered an appropriate approach to detect failures in biological control functions. Alternatively, an approach is proposed that consists in indirectly analysing biological control functions by surveying outbreaks of maize herbivores. Unusual herbivore outbreaks could indicate failures in biological control functions of natural enemies. Data could be collected via questionnaires addressed to farmers growing Bt‐maize. Significant correlations between unusual occurrences of specific maize herbivores and the cultivation of Bt‐maize would subsequently need specific studies to determine possible causalities in more detail. The here proposed approach has the advantage of covering different natural enemy groups. It represents a cost‐effective strategy to obtain scientifically sound data as a basis for regulatory decision‐making.     

Biomass,sugar, and bioethanol potential of sweet corn

Sweet corn is a widely distributed crop that generates agricultural waste without significant commercial value. In this study, we show that sweet corn varieties produce large amounts of residual biomass (10 t ha^?1) with high content of soluble sugars (25% of dry matter) in a short growing season (3 months). The potential ethanol production from structural and soluble sugars extracted from sweet corn stover reached up to 4400 l ha^?1 in the most productive hybrids, 33% of which (1500 l ha^?1) were obtained by direct fermentation of free sugars. We found wide genetic variation for biomass yield and soluble sugars content suggesting that those traits can be included as complementary traits in sweet corn breeding programs. Dual‐purpose sweet corn hybrids can have an added value for the farmers contributing to energy generation without affecting food supply or the environment.     

A reassessment of global bioenergy potential in 2050

Many climate change mitigation strategies rely on strong projected growth in biomass energy, supported by literature estimating high future bioenergy potential. However, expectations to 2050 are highly divergent. Examining the most widely cited studies finds that some assumptions in these models are inconsistent with the best available evidence. By identifying literature‐supported, up‐to‐date assumptions for parameters including crop yields, land availability, and costs, we revise upper‐end estimates of potential biomass availability from dedicated energy crops. Even allowing for the conversion of virtually all ‘unused’ grassland and savannah, we find that the maximum plausible limit to sustainable energy crop production in 2050 would be 40–110 EJ yr^?1. Combined with forestry, crop residues, and wastes, the maximum limit to long‐term total biomass availability is 60–120 EJ yr^?1 in primary energy. After accounting for current trends in bioenergy allocation and conversion losses, we estimate maximum potentials of 10–20 EJ yr^?1 of biofuel, 20–40 EJ yr^?1 of electricity, and 10–30 EJ yr^?1 of heating in 2050. These findings suggest that many technical projections and aspirational goals for future bioenergy use could be difficult or impossible to achieve sustainably.     

Extrapolating non-target risk of Bt crops from laboratory to field

The tiered approach to assessing ecological risk of insect-resistant transgenic crops assumes that lower tier laboratory studies, which expose surrogate non-target organisms to high doses of insecticidal proteins, can detect harmful effects that might be manifested in the field. To test this assumption, we performed meta-analyses comparing results for non-target invertebrates exposed to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry proteins in laboratory studies with results derived from independent field studies examining effects on the abundance of non-target invertebrates. For Lepidopteran-active Cry proteins, laboratory studies correctly predicted the reduced field abundance of non-target Lepidoptera. However, laboratory studies incorporating tri-trophic interactions of Bt plants, herbivores and parasitoids were better correlated with the decreased field abundance of parasitoids than were direct-exposure assays. For predators, laboratory tri-trophic studies predicted reduced abundances that were not realized in field studies and thus overestimated ecological risk. Exposure to Coleopteran-active Cry proteins did not significantly reduce the laboratory survival or field abundance of any functional group examined. Our findings support the assumption that laboratory studies of transgenic insecticidal crops show effects that are either consistent with, or more conservative than, those found in field studies, with the important caveat that laboratory studies should explore all ecologically relevant routes of exposure.     

园艺植物水分胁迫生理及耐旱机制研究进展

概述了园艺植物在水分胁迫下的生理生化,分子反应及耐旱机制研究进展,并指出尚需进一步研究的问题。     

Mycocentrospora acerina in carrots; Effects of crop rotation on disease incidence

Four experimental sites located in different climatic regions in Norway were inoculated with Mycocentrospora acerina in 1985. In 1986, crop rotation experiments including carrot, barley, grass, red clover, onion and potato, were established at these sites. Incidence of M. acerina on the foliage and the roots of carrots after storage were recorded in 1989/90 and 1994/95. The 3 yr rotation only slightly reduced the inoculum of M. acerina in the soil. Red clover and grass were the most effective crops in reducing the inoculum, potato and barley were less effective, and onion had no effect on the inoculum. Differences in M. acerina infection on carrots between 3, 6 and 8 yr of rotation with barley and grass were not statistically significant.     

Selection for non-diapause inAmblyseius cucumeris andAmblyseius barkeri and exploration of the effectiveness of selected strains for thrips control

In Europe and North America the western flower thrips,Frankliniella occidentalis, is an important pest in various greenhouse crops, such as sweet pepper and cucumber. Two species of predatory mite are commercially applied for biological control of this pest:Amblyseius cucumeris andA. barkeri. Thrips control is generally successful from March onwards. During winter, however, thrips control by these predatory mites is less effective. An important reason for this is that the commercially applied strains of both mite species enter reproductive diapause under short-day photoperiods, whereas the western flower thrips does not enter diapause. In this paper we report on selection experiments for non-diapause in strains of both mite species, aimed at obtaining predators that do not enter diapause under light- and temperature conditions prevailing in winter. Additional experiments were done to estimate the potential of the selected lines as control agents ofF. occidentalis. Selection for non-diapause proved highly successful in both predatory mite species. In a New Zealand strain ofA. cucumeris diapause incidence decreased from 41% to 0% in about ten generations; in a Dutch strain ofA. barkeri diapause incidence decreased from 67% to 0% in about six generations. Furthermore, selection for non-diapause had no influence on predator performance, measured as predation rate and oviposition rate on a diet of first instar thirps larvae. Rates of predation and oviposition were the same for selected and unselected lines in both species; rates of predation and oviposition were higher forA. cucumeris than forA. barkeri. After 18 months under non-diapause conditions, no less than 92% of a sample of the selected non-diapause line ofA. cucumeris did not enter diapause when tested under diapause-inducing conditions. This indicates that ‘non-diapause’ is a stable trait in these predatory mites. Finally, a small-scale greenhouse experiment in a sweet pepper crop showed that the selected non-diapause line ofA. cucumeris established successfully under diapause-inducing short-day conditions.     

植物根际促生菌促生特性研究进展

根际微生物组是决定农作物健康状况的关键因素之一,也是调节农作物与生物和非生物环境相互作用的重要因素。植物根际促生菌(plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, PGPR)为农作物宿主提供了多种有益作用,通过化学交流以复杂的方式与农作物、土壤相互作用,进而促进农作物生长。本文综述了PGPR对农作物的促生机制、PGPR与农作物的互作及其在农业实践中的应用,并展望了PGPR在农业实践中应用的发展趋势,以期为今后PGPR的应用和研究提供新的思路和理论支撑。     

应用高剂量/庇护所策略管理Bt作物抗性的三个基本假设：综述与展望

目前, 抗虫转基因作物的抗性管理方法主要是高剂量/庇护所策略。该策略的有效性取决于3个基本的假设条件：（1）抗虫转基因作物（Bt作物）表达出高剂量的杀虫蛋白, 该剂量使得靶标害虫对Bt杀虫蛋白的抗性表现型为功能性完全隐性或近于完全隐性, 进而使得Bt作物可以杀死几乎所有的抗性杂合个体和所有的敏感性个体;（2）靶标害虫种群的Bt抗性基因起始频率处于很低的水平;（3）源自转基因作物田和非转基因作物田(庇护所)的成虫在田间随机混合并交配。这3个假设必须同时满足, 缺一不可。本文就这3个假设的理论基础和经验研究的进展进行了综合论述, 并着重讨论了随机交配假设的最新研究进展以及今后的研究方向和方法。     

间作植物和茬口对连作党参生长和品质产量的影响

选择两种茬口(轮作茬、连作茬)和6种植物材料(党参、大蒜、玉米、黄芪、苦参、向日葵),组成党参单作和间作6种种植模式,设置茬口和间作模式两因素田间随机区组试验,通过监测不同生长时期党参的生长指标(蔓长、主根长、主根直径、地下部分鲜干重)、根部产量及品质指标(根部多糖含量、炔苷含量、醇溶性浸出物含量和灰分含量)的变化衡量不同茬口和间作植物对党参连作障碍的缓解效应。结果表明：(1)轮作茬口下党参单作及各间作处理对党参生长、品质和产量的改善效果都较连作茬口下明显,且两茬口下各间作处理的改善效果都较党参单作明显。(2)与向日葵、大蒜和玉米间作处理对两茬口党参的主根长、主根直径、地下部分鲜干重的提升效果比党参单作和其余间作处理(与黄芪、苦参间作)更显著。(3)大蒜和向日葵间作处理能够显著提高两茬口党参根部产量,尤其大蒜表现最优,与其间作的轮作茬和连作茬党参分别较各自对照增产49.92%和22.55%。(4)与大蒜间作能有效提升两茬口党参根部多糖含量、炔苷含量和醇溶性浸出物的含量,党参单作和其余间作处理对两茬口连作党参的品质提升效果不及大蒜间作处理理想。研究发现,从党参长势及根部产量和品质综合分析,两茬口下党参与大蒜间作最有利于党参植株生长,能有效缓解党参连作障碍,并显著提高其药用部位的产量和品质,且轮作茬口下的提高效应更明显。