Five New Phenolic Glycosides from Viburnum luzonicum

Viburnum luzonicum is widely distributed in China. Its branch extracts showed potential α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. In order to discover new bioactive constituents, five undescribed phenolic glycosides, viburozosides A−E ( 1 – 5 ), were obtained by bioassay-guided isolation coupled with HPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, including 1D NMR, 2D NMR, ECD, and ORD. All compounds were tested for their α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory potency. Compound 1 showed significantly competitive inhibition against α-amylase (IC₅₀=17.5 μM) and α-glucosidase (IC₅₀=13.6 μM).     

The identification of eight woody genera of the Caprifoliaceae by selected features of their root anatomy

The root anatomy of eight woody genera of the Caprifoliaceae cultivated in the British Isles was investigated. Special emphasis was placed on the characters that can most easily be used to identify roots from this family. These were found to be:(i) in the bark, the arrangement of phloem fibres or stone cells (if present) and (ii) in the xylem, the type (scalariform or simple) and shape of vessel perforation plates, type and arrangement of cells in rays and the presence or absence of spiral thickening (especially on fibre tracheids). Vessel characters were found to be inconstant in samples of some species grown in different environmental conditions.     

Deer browsing reduces leaf damage by herbivorous insects through an induced response of the host plant

We aimed to demonstrate an indirect relationship between a mammalian herbivore (sika deer) and herbivorous insects on the induced responses of a shared host plant, Viburnum dilatatum. Field studies were conducted at three sites (i.e. two islands and one mainland) and within a deer exclusion area. One island, Kinkazan (Kz) Island, harbored a high density of deer while the other sites (controls) had no deer or very low densities of deer. The deer exclusion area had been established approximately 10years earlier on Kz. We collected leaves above the browsing line of the deer and measured leaf hardness and tannin concentration. Leaf damage by insects was used as a measure of insect abundance. Leaves collected at Kz were harder than those from one of the control sites and from inside the deer exclusion area, while no difference was detected among the other controls and inside the exclusion area. In contrast, the tannin concentration of leaves from Kz was lower than in leaves from the control site. Leaf damage by herbivorous insects was lower in Kz than the other study sites. In addition, hole-type leaf damage tended to be higher inside, rather than outside, the exclusion area. These results suggest the possibility that deer browsing increased leaf hardness, which exerted an indirect negative effect on the herbivorous insects utilizing the common host plant. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide evidence of indirect negative effects between mammalian herbivores and herbivorous insects sharing a host plant.     

荚蒾属植物花期物候及生长对引种地年际气候波动的响应

专属引种植物的物候及生长研究能够掌握特定物候相在专属水平上的阈值,并为评估引种专属的适应潜力提供参考。通过对中国科学院植物研究所北京植物园内引种多年的9种荚蒾（Viburnum）的花期及2种荚蒾的生长动态进行观测,分析讨论了花期对冬春两季异常低温的响应及营养与生殖生长的关联机制。结果表明：2009–2010年冬春异常低温后,荚蒾始花期的整体延迟是由春季环境热量供应不及时所致,种间延迟程度的差异则与原产地的气候有紧密联系：分布于寒温带地区的欧洲绣球（V.opulus）和修枝荚蒾（V.burejaeticum）延迟天数最少（分别为10和12天）,分布于我国亚热带的琼花（V.macrocephalum）和桦叶荚蒾（V.betulifolium）延迟天数最多（分别为21和26天）。荚蒾花前有效积温介于39–368°C之间。经历异常低温后,花前有效积温呈上升和下降两种格局,与物种冷量和热量的内在需求有关。荚蒾属植物的生殖与营养生长呈现两种关联方式,早花种类开花座果伴随着营养生长的竞争,晚花种类花后即出现营养生长的支持,对果实发育的保障性较强。     

Biological parameters of Thripobius semiluteus Bouček (Hym., Eulophidae), a larval endoparasitoid of Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché) (Thysan., Thripidae)

Abstract:  The endoparasitoid Thripobius semiluteus Bouček was recently introduced to Italy from Israel for the biological control of Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis (Bouché). In this study, some aspects of the biology of T. semiluteus were determined in the laboratory. Developmental time (egg to adult), potential fecundity, realized fecundity, progeny, daily rate of deposition of eggs and several demographic growth parameters were evaluated. Studies of the longevity of fed and starved adults at seven temperatures (3, 10, 15, 20, 23, 25 and 30 ± 1°C) showed that fed T. semiluteus lived longest at 15°C (36.45 days) and shortest at 3°C (1.45 days). Longevity was reduced significantly at higher and lower temperatures than 15°C and when honey was not provided. Development time was measured at six temperatures. Pupae did not complete development at 10°C. The lower theoretical temperature threshold was 9.0°C; the optimum developmental temperature and the upper lethal threshold were 28.0°C and 34.1°C respectively. The most rapid development was found at 30°C, but waSPS suffered significantly higher mortality at this temperature than at other temperatures. Ovigeny index showed that T. semiluteus is synovigenic, with a mean realized fecundity of 78.8 eggs per female. The mean progeny was 68.2 adults per female on fed adults.     

影响琼花种子休眠的因素

琼花种皮有吸水性,休眠非因种皮的不透水性造成.种仁中存在导致休眠的抑制物质,胚的抑制物质含量最高.种子须先经4℃低温层积60 d,再经25℃暖温处理90 d,而后在较低温(15℃)条件下才能解除休眠而萌发.当年成熟种胚在翌年10月才能彻底破除休眠.6-BA和GA对种胚破眠均无明显作用.