Genotype-specific response of cultured broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) anthers to cytokinins

Anther culture medium was prepared with different types and concentrations of cytokinins to gain greater insight into the control of embryo formation during Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (broccoli) anther culture. The independent addition of the four cytokinins tested had widely divergent effects dependent upon cytokinin concentration and the genetic background of the test plants. All cytokinins were generally inhibitory at high concentrations, however, individual plants showed significant stimulation of embyro formation at typical physiological levels. The influence of cytokinins was highly cultivar-specific, some lines were stimulated, others inhibited and still other test lines were largely unaffected. Although the addition of cytokinins was needed for embryo formation for some plants, in no instance were cytokinins able to replace the inductive effect of high-temperature treatments.     

A Novel Sesquiterpene,Tuberonone, from Solanum tuberosum L.

The effects of the ovarian hormones progesterone and estrone on the conversion of tryptophan to nicotinamide in rats were investigated. Female rats were fed for 35 days with a 20% casein diet, or with a 20% casein diet containing 0.1% progesterone, or 0.001% estrone, or 0.1% progestrone and 0.001% estrone. The conversion ratio of tryptophan to nicotinamide on the last day of the experiment was 2% in the groups fed with the 20% casein diet and the diet containing 0.1% progesterone, but around 1.2% in the group fed with 0.001% estrone, and 0.7% in the group fed with 0.1% progesterone and 0.001% estrone. These results demonstrated that administration of ovarian hormones significantly decreased the conversion of tryptophan to nicotinamide.     

Laboratory and greenhouse evaluation of a new entomopathogenic strain of Beauveria bassiana for control of the onion thrips Thrips tabaci

Abstract

The onion thrips Thrips tabaci is one of the most important pests of greenhouse and open-field broccoli, onion and other crops. However, the current strategy of using synthetic pesticides for its control is inadequate and unsustainable, leading to a growing interest in novel and effective biological control alternatives such as entomopathogenic fungi. Among 20 isolates of Beauveria bassiana tested for virulence against T. tabaci in laboratory bioassays, we found strain SZ-26 as the most potent, causing 83–100% mortality in adults at 1×10⁷ mL^?1conidia after 4–7 days. Further experiments in greenhouses showed the strain SZ-26 significantly lowered the numbers of adult and larval stages.     

Callus induction and plant regeneration from broccoli (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica oleracea</Emphasis> var. italica) for transformation

We evaluated the efficiency of callus induction and plantlet regeneration from hypocotyl explants of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica). The cultivars were ‘Marathon’, ‘Greenbelt’, and ‘Shogun’. Transformation success was not affected by the presence of tobacco feeder-cell layers on the culture media. The frequency of shoot regeneration was greater from 10-d-old hypocotyls than from 14-d-old hypocotyls. Both ‘Marathon’ and ‘Greenbelt’ had higher potentials for tissue regeneration than did ‘Shogun’. We found that for transformation selection, the optimum concentration was either 50 mg/L kanamycin or 100 mg/L genetkin.     

Insect attraction to synthetic herbivore‐induced plant volatile‐treated field crops

• 1 Plants produce natural enemy‐attracting semiochemicals known as herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPV) in response to herbivore damage. Deployment of synthetic HIPV in crops could enhance the biological control of pests. To test this, six HIPV [methyl salicylate (MeSA), methyl anthranilate (MeA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), benzaldehyde (Be), cis‐3‐hexenyl acetate (HA), cis‐hexen‐1‐ol (He)] in three concentrations (0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% v/v) mixed with a vegetable oil adjuvant, Synertrol® (Organic Crop Protectants Pty Ltd, Australia), were sprayed onto winegrape, broccoli and sweet corn plants.
• 2 The relative abundance of insects within treated plots was assessed with non‐attracting, transparent sticky traps at varying time intervals up to 22 days after spraying.
• 3 In the vineyard experiment, Trichogrammatidae responded to Be and MeA (0.5%) and Be (1.0%); Encyrtidae and Bethylidae responded to MeA (1.0%); Scelionidae responded to all compounds at 1.0% and 2.0%; and predatory insects responded to MeA. In sweet corn, parasitoids as a group and Encyrtidae responded to MeA (0.5%); Braconidae responded to all compounds at 0.5% and Synertrol‐only; thrips responded to all compounds at 0.5% and 1.0%; while all parasitoids responded to all compounds at 0.5% and 1.0% and Synertrol‐only. In broccoli, parasitoids as a group and Scelionidae responded to Be, HA, He and Synertrol‐only; Trichogrammatidae responded to Be (0.5%), He (0.5% and 1.0%), MeJA (1.0%) and MeSA (0.5%); and thrips responded to all compounds at to 0.5% and 1.0%.
• 4 Significant attraction of insects occurred up to 6 days after the HIPV application, suggesting that plants may have been induced to produce endogenous volatiles that attracted insects over an extended period.
• 5 The results obtained are discussed in relation to the potential utility of synthetic HIPV to enhance the biological control of pests.

     

Population densities of herbivorous lepidopterans in diverse cruciferous cropping habitats: Effects of mixed cropping and using a living mulch

Two field experiments were conducted in Hawaii to determine the responses of lepidopteran pests and their associated natural enemies to broccoli (Brassica oleracea), grown in monoculture or interplanted with chili pepper (Capsicum annuum), or yellow sweetclover (YSC) (Melilotus officinalis). The population responses of Artogeia rapae and Trichoplusia ni to habitat types were not consistent during the field trials. Additionally, their reactions to habitat diversification differed according to non-host plant species. For example, Trichoplusia ni densities were significantly lower in the broccoli–YSC habitat contrasted with the broccoli–pepper habitat on most sampling dates. Similarly, the proportion of plants damaged by Hellula undalis was significantly lower in the broccoli–YSC habitat contrasted with broccoli–pepper habitat. Findings from the study, suggest that biological control agents (e.g., spiders, parasitoids, and␣entomopathogens) are the most significant factors influencing the abundance of A.␣rapae in habitat type and that these agents inflict greater mortality on A. rapae in diculture than monoculture habitats.     

Antioxidant Properties of the Major Polyphenolic Compounds in Broccoli

We have examined the antioxidant activity of the major phenolic compounds in Broccoli: two flavonol glycosides (quercetin 3-O-sophoroside and kaemp-ferol 3-O-sophoroside) and four hydroxycinnamic acid esters (1,2'-disinapoyl-2-feruloyl gentiobiose, 1-sinapoyl-2-feruloyl gentiobiose, 1,2,2'-trisinapoyl gentiobiose and 1,2-disinapoyl gentiobiose). The Trolox C equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and inhibition of iron/ascorbate-induced lipid per-oxidation of phosphatidyl choline vesicles were measured. In the aqueous phase TEAC assay, the two flavonol glycosides were less active than their respective aglycones. TEAC values for the hydroxycinnamic acid esters were less than the sum of their constituent hydroxycinnamic acids on a molar basis. Quercetin 3-O-sophoroside was a potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation, in contrast to kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside. The hydroxycinnamic acid esters were highly effective at preventing lipid damage with the exception of 1,2,2'-trisinapoyl gentiobiose. The six compounds analysed herein demonstrate the antioxidant activity of the major phenolics in broccoli and indicate the effect on antioxidant activity of sugar substitutions in the phenolic B ring.     

青花菜萝卜硫素合成相关基因BoCYP83A1的克隆与表达分析

CYP83A1基因是萝卜硫素合成代谢中的关键基因,该试验以青花菜品种CDBY-10为材料,利用RACE和RT-PCR方法,获得BoCYP83A1基因的全长序列。该基因全长1 509bp,编码502个氨基酸,包含保守的P450结构域。通过实时荧光定量PCR分析了BoCYP83A1基因在不同品种、不同组织以及不同激素处理下的表达水平。系统进化树分析表明,BoCYP83A1与结球甘蓝亲缘关系最近。BoCYP83A1基因在不同品种间的组织特异性不同:在青花菜品种CDBY-10的根、茎、叶3个组织间表达水平差异较小,在品种CDBY-12中表现为茎叶根,在CDBY-14中则表现为根茎叶。MeJA及SA处理均能够引起BoCYP83A1基因表达量的变化:经MeJA处理后,BoCYP83A1基因表达量升高至对照的1.9倍,而后有少量下降;经SA处理后,BoCYP83A1基因表达水平迅速降低,在6h时降低至对照的0.1倍,而后逐渐回升至对照的表达水平。研究表明,BoCYP83A1基因在不同青花菜品种中的表达特性不同,其表达能够被MeJA和SA所调控。青花菜BoCYP83A1的克隆及鉴定为培育高萝卜硫素含量的青花菜新品种奠定了理论基础。     

水杨酸对不同灌水下限青花菜生理特性及产量品质的影响

以青花菜为试材,采用大田试验研究了0.15mmol/L水杨酸(SA)对不同灌水下限(75%、60%和45%土壤相对含水量)青花菜生理特性及产量品质的影响。结果显示:(1)随灌水下限的降低,青花菜叶片相对含水量、水势及叶绿素含量均呈下降趋势,而其叶片电解质渗透率以及游离脯氨酸(Pro)、丙二醛(MDA)、可溶性蛋白(Pr)含量逐渐升高;青花菜的花球重及维生素C含量(Vc)随灌水下限的降低而降低,相反硝酸盐含量及可溶性固形物含量随之升高。(2)叶面喷施0.15mmol/L SA显著提高了青花菜叶片相对含水量、水势、渗透调节物质含量、产量及品质,且降低了膜脂过氧化产物MDA含量,其中以45%灌水下限处理效果最为显著,60%灌水下限处理次之,75%灌水下限处理最小。研究认为,适宜浓度外源SA通过改善青花菜叶片水分生理状况,提高叶片渗透调节物质含量,降低质膜透性来增强其对干旱胁迫的抗性,且以60%灌水下限配合叶面喷施0.15mmol/L SA处理较佳。