Tolerance ofHolcus lanatus andAgrostis stolonifera to sodium chloride in soil solution and saline spray

Summary Inland and sea cliff populations of bothAgrostis stolonifera L. andHolcus lanatus L. were subjected to soil NaCl treatments, of 100 and 200 mol m⁻³ NaCl, and tolerance examined using plant dry weight data. A parallel experiment subjected them to salt spray treatments of 2.5%, 5% and 10% NaCl in distilled water, and tolerance assessed from leaf damage. Both populations of each species were equally sensitive to soil NaCl. When subjected to salt spray the sea cliff populations however showed marked resistance to leaf damage. Soil salinity resistance and salt spray resistance thus appear to be independent characteristics in these two species.     

Effect of foliar application of phosphorus on RNA and DNA under salt-stress in peanut plants (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Summary Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L., var. TMV-2) plants were raised in sand cultures salinized with sodium chloride at 0.4% on air dry weight basis. Phosphate was sprayed to the drip point, once daily for five days from 20th to 25th day and from 30th to 35th day. Shoot apices and mature leaves were harvested for nucleic acid analyses at 30th and 40th day, receiving one and two sets of sprays respectively. Salinity decreased RNA and DNA levels which were partially restored by foliar application of phosphate.     

Spray system for re-attachment of Gelidium sesquipedale (Clem.) Born. et Thur. (Gelidiales: Rhodophyta)

A system is described for rapid re-attachment of the rhodophycean alga Gelidium sesquipedale (Clem.) Born. et Thur. on artificial or natural substrata. This method is applicable to industrial cultivation of this species. The function of rhizoidal clusters and the origin of germlings from the apical portion of the thalli are analyzed in relation to the re-attachment process. The role that re-attachment might play in the maintenance and spreading of natural populations and in the observed anomalies of the life-history of this species is discussed.     

Uncovering Atomic‐Scale Stability and Reactivity in Engineered Zinc Oxide Electrocatalysts for Controllable Syngas Production

In this study, scalable, flame spray synthesis is utilized to develop defective ZnO nanomaterials for the concurrent generation of H₂ and CO during electrochemical CO₂ reduction reactions (CO₂RR). The designed ZnO achieves an H₂/CO ratio of ≈1 with a large current density (j) of 40 mA cm^?2 during long‐term continuous reaction at a cell voltage of 2.6 V. Through in situ atomic pair distribution function analysis, the remarkable stability of these ZnO structures is explored, addressing the knowledge gap in understanding the dynamics of oxide catalysts during CO₂RR. Through optimization of synthesis conditions, ZnO facets are modulated which are shown to affect reaction selectivity, in agreement with theoretical calculations. These findings and insights on synthetic manipulation of active sites in defective metal‐oxides can be used as guidelines to develop active catalysts for syngas production for renewable power‐to‐X to generate a range of fuels and chemicals.     

叶面喷施茉莉酸甲酯对马铃薯微型薯生长及产量的影响

以‘云薯505’马铃薯(Solanum tuberosum ‘Yunshu 505’)为材料,测定马铃薯块茎发育初期四个阶段茉莉酸含量,并以叶面喷施方式,研究茉莉酸甲酯对马铃薯生长和块茎产量的影响。结果表明,马铃薯块茎膨大过程中,茉莉酸的积累水平不断升高。在微型薯生产中,使用100 μmol·L^-1茉莉酸甲酯在结薯期以不同频率喷施叶面,测量并统计植株、块茎性状及产量变化。结果表明,与对照(CK)相比,1次·d^-1处理茎粗增加36.1%,2次·d^-1处理的叶绿素含量降低20.1%。此外,植株的叶色、茎色、花色、株型等生长性状及块茎大小整齐度、薯形、皮色、肉色、薯皮类型、芽眼深浅、裂薯率、大薯空心率等块茎性状在各组间没有显著差异。2次·d^-1、1次·d^-1、1次·2d^-1、CK四种处理的植株存活率分别为45.57%、100.00%、100.00%、87.29%;前三种喷施频率处理折合产量较CK分别增加-15.61%、8.77%、12.11%。综合分析,马铃薯在块茎形成初期茉莉酸积累水平不断升高,以1次·2d^-1频率叶面喷施100 μmol·L^-1茉莉酸甲酯,马铃薯微型薯的产量增加最大且不影响生长。     

Assessing the efficacy of spray-delivered ‘eco-friendly’ chemicals for the control and eradication of marine fouling pests

Despite its frequent use in terrestrial and freshwater systems, there is a lack of published experimental research examining the effectiveness of spray-delivered chemicals for the management of non-indigenous and/or unwanted pests in marine habitats. This study tested the efficacy of spraying acetic acid, hydrated lime and sodium hypochlorite for the control of marine fouling assemblages. The chemicals are considered relatively ‘eco-friendly’ due to their low toxicity and reduced environmental persistence compared to synthetic biocides, and they were effective in controlling a wide range of organisms. Pilot trials highlighted acetic acid as the most effective chemical at removing fouling cover, therefore it was selected for more comprehensive full-scale trials. A single spray of 5% acetic acid with an exposure time of 1 min effectively removed up to 55% of the invertebrate species present and 65% of the cover on fouled experimental plates, while one application of 10% acetic acid over 30 min removed up to 78% of species present and 95% of cover. Single-spray treatments of 5% acetic acid reduced cover of the tunicate pest species Didemnum vexillum by up to 100% depending on the exposure duration, while repeat-spraying ensured that even short exposure times (1 min) achieved ～99% mortality. Both 5 and 10% acetic acid solutions appeared equally effective at removing the majority of algal species. This technique could be used for controlling the introduction of unwanted species or preventing the spread of pests, and is applicable to use on a variety of natural and artificial substrata, or for the treatment of structures that can be removed from the water.     

Toxicity of baited spinosad formulations to Ceratitis capitata: from the laboratory to the application

GF‐120, a fruit fly bait designed to attract and kill adult fruit flies, was tested in the laboratory and outdoors to determine effects of pre‐treatment diet and bait aging on mortality of Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Two spinosad‐based compounds, GF‐120 and Tracer^® Ultra, had generated two distinctive dose–mortality responds, with LC⁸⁰, LC⁹⁰, and LC⁹⁹ values of 2.4, 2.8, and 4.1 p.p.m., and 255, 479, and 1 143 p.p.m., respectively. The residues of GF‐120 drops, after feeding to the flies, generated 14.3% mortality. The droplet size of the baited spray plays an important role. The toxicity of large drops lasted more than that of small droplets. In the field, exposure to the sun further deteriorates the compound, which lost 50% of its toxicity within 6 days. Disappearance of the compound in the field, due to consumption by various insects, also played a role as 50% of the GF‐120 drops disappeared within 7 days. As mortality was directly related to the amount of insecticide eaten, the effect of GF‐120 depended on the feeding status of the flies: well‐fed flies were almost unaffected compared with starved ones.     

Biosynthesis of linoleic acid in Tyrophagus mites (Acarina: Acaridae)

We report here that Tyrophagus similis and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Astigmata: Acaridae) have the ability to biosynthesize linoleic acid [(9Z, 12Z)-9, 12-octadecadienoic acid] via a Δ12-desaturation step, although animals in general and vertebrates in particular appear to lack this ability. When the mites were fed on dried yeast enriched with d₃₁-hexadecanoic acid (16:0), d₂₇-octadecadienoic acid (18:2), produced from d₃₁-hexadecanoic acid through elongation and desaturation reactions, was identified as a major fatty acid component of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) in the mites. The double bond position of d₂₇-octadecadienoic acid (18:2) of PCs and PEs was determined to be 9 and 12, respectively by dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) derivatization. Furthermore, the GC/MS retention time of methyl 9, 12-octadecadienoate obtained from mite extracts agreed well with those of authentic linoleic acid methyl ester. It is still unclear whether the mites themselves or symbiotic microorganisms are responsible for inserting a double bond into the Δ12 position of octadecanoic acid. However, we present here the unique metabolism of fatty acids in the mites.     

Improving foliar applications of entomopathogenic nematodes by selecting adjuvants and spray nozzles

This study explores the influence of a selection of adjuvants and of three different nozzle sizes on the foliar application of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). Two EPN species were studied: Steinernema feltiae and Steinernema carpocapsae. A viability test of EPNs suspended in different solutions of adjuvants showed that all selected alcohol ethoxylates and an alkyl polysaccharide have an immobilising effect on the selected nematode species. In a sedimentation test, xanthan gum proved to be the only adjuvant in a broad selection, capable of delaying sedimentation of EPNs in suspension. Without xanthan gum, sedimentation of S. carpocapsae and S. feltiae was noticeable after 20 and 10 minutes, respectively. When xanthan gum (0.3 g/L) was added to the suspension, no signs of sedimentation were noticed after 20 minutes with both EPN species. An ISO 02 flat fan nozzle can clog when spraying S. carpocapsae. A deposition test determined that an ISO 04 standard flat fan nozzle provides a higher relative deposition on cauliflower leaves and is therefore a better nozzle choice than the bigger ISO 08 standard flat fan nozzle for spraying S. carpocapsae. The addition of a spreading agent improved the deposition of S. carpocapsae. Adding xanthan gum to the EPN-spreading agent mixtures did not further improve deposition.