Seed germination,seedling inoculation and establishment ofAlnus spp. in containers in greenhouse trials

Methods for production of containerized seedlings ofAlnus species were developed which permit nitrogen-fixing nodules to form on the root systems prior to outplanting, in order to provide an early nitrogen input during seedling establishment. The methods are based on procedures for inoculating root systems with suspensions ofFrankia (Actinomycetales), applied either directly in the container cell as a soil drench at the time of seeding, or as a root dip for seedlings transplanted into the containers. Germination of dried, stored seed was enhanced by light and by presoaking for 16 h in water. Pretreatments to overcome seed dormancy or to eliminate fungal pathogens did not further enhance germination. Some loss of seedlings was recorded in the early stages of growth shortly after germination, which is a factor in calculating projected seedling yield. Nodulation and seedling growth were evaluated in terms of growth media characteristics. Seedlings performed well in peat-vermiculite, at soil pH between 5.5 and 8.0.     

Influence of various soil factors on the effects of ferulic acid on leaf expansion of cucumber seedlings

Summary Cucumber seedlings were grown in a Portsmouth soil-sand system to study how varying soil clay and organic matter content might modify cucumber seedling response to ferulic acid, a reported allelopathic agent. Leaf area expansion of cucumber seedlings, soil respiration, and soil solution concentrations of ferulic acid were monitored. Leaf area, mean absolute rates of leaf expansion, and shoot dry weight of cucumber seedlings were significantly reduced by ferulic acid concentrations ranging from 10 to 70 μg/g dry soil. Ferulic acid was applied every other day, since it rapidly disappeared from soil solution as a result of retention by soil particles, utilization by microbes and/or uptake by roots. The amount of ferulic acid retained (i.e., adsorbed, polymerized,etc.) by soil particles appeared to be secondary to microbial utilization and/or uptake by roots. Varying clay (5.3 to 9.8 g/cup) and organic matter (2.0 to 0.04g/cup) contents of the soil appeared to have little impact on the disappearance of ferulic acid from soil solution under “ideal” growth conditions for cucumber seedlings unless larger amounts of ferulic acid were added to the soil; in this case 200 μg/g. The addition of ferulic acid to the soil materials substantially increased the activity of the soil microbes. This latter conclusion is based on recovery of ferulic acid from soil solution and soil respiration measurements. Paper No. 10347 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, N C 27695-7601. The use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service of the product named, nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned.     

Growth analysis ofQuercus serrata seedlings withinMiscanthus sinensis grass canopies differing in light availability

The effects of different light regimes on the survival, growth and morphology ofQuercus serrata seedlings were studied in canopies ofMiscanthus sinensis. The seedlings of various ages (0–3 yr) were grown in three light regimes: under a denseM. sinensis canopy (TG plot) receiving 2.5%–8.7% of full sunlight, under a relatively sparse canopy (SG plot) receiving 3.8%–16.1% of light and in an adjacent open site (NG plot). There was a little difference in the survival ofQ. serrata seedlings among the three plots. Height and diameter of stem and total leaf area of the seedlings were significantly lower in the shadier plots. However, the first (bottom) flush of the stem was significantly longer in the TG plot than in the NG and SG plots. Total dry weights of individual 1- and 2-yr-oldQ. serrata seedlings in the TG plot were reduced to about one-twelfth of those in the NG plot. Although the relative proportion in dry weight of each organ did not differ significantly among the plots, leaf area ratio, specific leaf area and stem height per unit dry weight were significantly higher in shadier plots. The leaf area per unit stem height was increased considerably in the sunnier plots.     

Differential survival of chaparral seedlings during the first summer drought after wildfire

Summary Big Pod Ceanothus (Ceanothus megacarpus) is an obligate seeder after fire; Laurel Sumac (Rhus laurina) is primarily a resprouter after fire. Both species commonly occur together in mixed stands and are dominant members of the coastal chaparral of southern California. We compared the mean survival of post-fire seedlings of each species during the first summer drought after fire and found C. megacarpus to have a mean survival of 54% while R. laurina had a mean survival of only 0.1%. Rooting dephs were similar between species but predawn water potentials and leaf temperatures were higher for R. laurina seedlings. Leaf temperatures for R. laurina reached a mean value of 46.8° C on hot, summer days, about 5° C higher than seedlings of C. megacarpus. By the end of the first growing season, 92% of all C. megacarpus seedlings had suffered herbivory compared to only 17% of all R. laurina seedlings. Herbivory did not appear to be the immediate cause of seedling mortality. Transect data indicated that full recovery of prefire species composition and density at our study site was likely but the mode of recovery was different for the species examined. R. laurina recovered primarily by sprouting, C. megacarpus totally by seedling establishment and a third species, Adenostoma fasciculatum (chamise), by a combination of sprouting and seedling establishment. We attribute the higher mortality of R. laurina seedlings to the greater sensitivity of its tissue to water stress. It may be that differential survival of shrub seedlings and differential modes of reestablishment after fire play an important role in maintaining species diversity in the chaparral communities of coastal, southern California.     

Regeneration of beech (Fagus crenata) after the simultaneous death of undergrowing dwarf bamboo (Sasa kurilensis)

Seedling recruitment and survivorship of beech (Fagus crenata) were studied with special reference to the simultaneous death of undergrowing bamboo (Sasa kurilensis). The survival rate of beech seedlings on the floor whereSasa had withered was much higher than that on the floor whereSasa survived. Damping off caused the largest mortality among beech seedlings. However, the allocation pattern of matter to different parts of the seedlings indicated that their survival was greatly affected by production economy. The dense cover of dwarf bamboo prevented the establishment of beech seedling banks on the forest floor. The interval between the times when simultaneous death ofSasa occur and the length of its recovery period are thus important factors controlling the dynamics of beech forests in Japan.     

Seedling recruitment ofChamaecyparis obtusa andSciadopitys verticillata in different microenvironments in an old-growthSciadopitys verticillata forest

Seedling recruitment ofChamecyparis obtusa andSciadopitys verticillata in different microenvironments in an old-growthS. verticillata forest was studied for five years. Exposed mineral soil beneath a gap, which was newly created by a typhoon, supported the best seedling emergence forC. obtusa. S. verticillata seemed to require no specific microenvironment for its seedling emergence. Mortality of seedlings was higher for both species beneath a closed canopy, where all new seedlings ofC. obtusa died within a year after their emergence. Beneath the gap, mortality of seedlings was generally lower for both species, regardless of the presence of litter on the ground. The occurrence of saplings was more frequent forC. obtusa beneath the gaps and forS. verticillata beneath a closed canopy. Difference of seedling recruitment behaviour could maintain the coexistence ofC. obtusa andS. verticillata in the canopy layer of this forest in a non-equilibrium state caused by occasional disturbance.     

Transformation of Nicotiana tabacum,N. debneyi,and N. rustica: Inheritance and protoplast expression of antibiotic resistance

Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains harbouring plasmid vectors pBCAT1, pVU1011 or pMON806 were used to transform leaf explants of Nicotiana tabacum cultivars Delgold and Candel, N. debneyi, and N. rustica var. NRT. Transgenic plants resistant to the selective agents kanamycin, hygromycin or methotrexate were regenerated and used as sources of leaf mesophyll protoplasts. Protoplasts divided and regenerated plants in the presence of selective agents at levels inhibitory to protoplasts of non-transformed plants. Cross-resistance of protoplasts to more than one selective agent was not observed in this study which suggests that this approach may lead to an efficient interspecific somatic hybrid selection system.     

Effect of mycorrhizal inocula on the growth of Sitka spruce seedlings in different soils

Summary Different mycorrhizal fungi were tested for their effectiveness in promoting growth of Sitka spruce seedlings, in two contrasting soils, in a glasshouse pot experiment. In nursery soil,Laccaria amethystina significantly improved growth of seedlings in comparison toL. laccata. Seedlings inoculated with a forest isolate ofThelephora terrestris were significantly larger than those inoculated with a nursery isolate when grown in forest soil. The effectiveness ofComplexipes moniliformis in forest soil was poor in comparison to other mycorrhizal fungi. Strains aswell as species of mycorrhizal fungi affect seedling growth differently. These effects are further influenced by soil type.     

Competition between laboratory populations of green leafhoppers,Nephotettix spp. (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Intra- and interspecific competition between laboratory populations of four green leafhoppers, Nephotettix spp. was studied in the laboratory under three different temperature regimes of 24°C, 27°C and 30°C. For the single-species population of the three tropical species, the equilibrium density increased as the temperature increased. On the other hand, for the temperature species N. cincticeps, the highest equilibrium density was at the intermediate temperature and the lowest at high temperature. Interspecific interactions between two tropical (N. virescens vs. N. nigropictus), a tropical and a temperature (N. virescens vs. N. cincticeps) and a rice-feeding and a grass-inhabiting (N. virescens vs. N. malayanus) Nephotettix species were also studied in the laboratory at the three temperature regimes. Temperature differentially affected the outcome of competition between two Nephotettix species. Between N. virescens and N. nigropictus, the latter was more successful over the former at low and intermediate temperatures, while the former was more successful at high temperature. Between N. virescens and N. cincticeps, the temperate species inhibited the growth of the tropical species at low temperature while the tropical species inhibited the growth of the temperate species at high temperature. At intermediate temperature, the population of N. virescens persisted at a slightly higher density over the population of N. cincticeps. Between the rice-feeding N. virescens and the grass-inhabiting N. malayanus, regardless of temperature the population density of the latter was greatly reduced and later became extinct while the population of the former continued its growth. These consequences of competition between two Nephotettix species conformed fairly well to those predicted by theLotka-Volterra model using demographic parameters specified for each species.