Urban ragweed populations in vacant lots: An ecological perspective on management

Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) is one of the most prolific producers of allergenic pollen in North America, and negatively impacts tens of millions of people each year. Recent work shows that local plant populations can be the most important source of allergenic pollen in the urban environment. This research emphasizes that management choices that influence species abundance can determine the burden of allergenic pollen for people living near these plant populations. In Detroit, MI, USA, ragweed populations are predominantly found in vacant lots; the management of these lots could therefore have large impacts on allergenic pollen burdens. The main form of management in these vacant lots is mowing, which occurs at frequencies ranging from monthly mowing to no mowing. We hypothesized that annual or biennial mowing would result in conditions where ragweed populations could thrive. To test this, we conducted a vegetation survey of vacant lots in Detroit, in which we quantified the mowing regime, characteristics of the vegetation, and ragweed presence and stem density. We found that ragweed was significantly more likely to be present in lots that were mowed annually or biennially; unfortunately these are the most common management types, accounting for 51% of vacant lots in Detroit. Ragweed's association with this disturbance regime fits with its early successional status, as it is most competitive in recently disturbed soils where there is reduced competition for resources such as light. We therefore recommend one of two alternative management regimes for reducing ragweed in vacant lots: either mow them frequently (multiple times a growing season) or do not mow them at all. Both approaches will reduce ragweed prevalence in vacant lots and reduce allergenic pollen exposure for people who live near vacant lots.     

Perennial ground cover plants as floral resources for urban pollinators: A case of Geranium species

Urban green areas, due to their high plant diversity, can be supportive as floral resources (nectar and/or pollen) to wild and managed pollinating insects. This research aims towards understanding the contribution of ornamental ground cover perennials as a food source for urban pollinators. We compare floral phenology and abundance, nectar and pollen production, and insect visitation to flowers of Geranium macrorrhizum, G. platypetalum and G. sanguineum, planted in the botanical garden of Lublin, SE Poland. The investigation revealed that the studied hardy geraniums exhibit many features valuable for pollinators, including large floral display (G. macrorrhizum and G. platypetalum), extended flowering period (G. sanguineum) and ample nectar and pollen reward (G. macrorrhizum). They can supply urban pollinators with a high quality food during spring and early summer time, i.e. the period of high food demand by many bee species. Moreover, hardy geraniums might be valuable plants for urban beekeeping as they are eagerly visited by honeybees. The investigated ground cover plants could therefore be considered in future city plantings.     

Comparison of seed-derived with micropropagated male-sterile plants of Tagetes erecta L. for F1 hybrid seed production

Summary

To multiply large number of male-sterile marigold plants for F₁ hybrid seed production, an efficient protocol for in vitro cloning of field-grown differentiated male sterile plants has been developed. A comparative field performance study of tissue culture and seed-derived male sterile plants of two marigold genotypes was undertaken to test the possibility of using micropropagated plants in hybrid seed production. Tissue culture raised plants of both genotypes had superior field performance to the seed-derived counterparts. These plants were more vigorous in growth, i.e. in terms of plant height, number of secondary branches and number of leaves and plant spread, while the leaf chlorophyll contents were equal to that of seedling plants. Flowering was earlier by 2-3 weeks and the number of flowers per plant was also higher in such plants. Repeated hand pollination of sterile flowers with bagged flowers of cv. Pusa Narangi Gainda showed that seed set and bold seed yield were higher or almost comparable with the seed-derived plants. The results clearly indicate that the tissue culture can be adopted for the successful cloning of male-sterile plants, which could then be utilized for producing F₁ seeds with higher quantities of bold seeds with better storability.     

豚草发生地土壤微生物的数量特征

豚草是世界性的恶性害草,造成巨大的农牧业损失和景观破坏.该文研究了豚草发生地土壤微生物的数量特征.结果表明:土壤微生物总数的峰值出现在8月,放线菌、细菌和真菌的数量峰值分别出现在7～9月.在8月和9月,豚草样地的土壤细菌、真菌和放线菌数量均低于对照样地,说明豚草对土壤微生物数量具有一定的抑制作用.三裂叶豚草对土壤微生物数量的抑制作用大于普通豚草.豚草的抑菌效应可为新药源、绿色农药等的开发提供参考.     

A nectar oasis for urban Glossophaginae bats: Temporal resource dynamics of the chiropterophilous Crescentia cujete (Bignoniaceae)

Pollinator-friendly plants are often a necessary component of the management of urban ecosystem that aim to reduce the impact of the artificial urban matrix on natural pollinator populations. Nectarivorous bats are neglected components of the urban pollinator community and there is a paucity of assessments on pollinator-friendly plants that may provide urban bats with reliable, year-long resources. Crescentia cujete is a bat-pollinated Bignoniaceae with very distinctive chiropterophilous features that is often used as an ornamental species in tropical urban areas worldwide. Its flowers are large and produce copious amounts of nectar, which accumulates in the flower’s storage-shaped flowers. Thus, the species is a potential bat-friendly urban plant. We assessed the species’ year-round flower emission and nightly nectar production dynamics in a green area in northeastern Brazil, and described the behavior of its floral visitors. C. cujete showed a steady, year-round flowering pattern, with no significant seasonality. Its flowers secreted copious amounts of diluted nectar and were visited exclusively by the Pallas long-tongued bat Glossophaga soricina throughout the night at high visiting frequencies, delivering successive visits to individual flowers spaced by short intervals. Our results suggest overexploitation of floral resources from C. cujete by urban bats. Moreover, its continuous flowering and copious nectar production may become a reliable resource in an artificial environment generally lacking bat-pollinated plants, thus mitigating the effects of food shortage for urban nectar bats.     

Intergeneric hybridizations between Opisthopappus taihangensis and Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium

For the first time, reciprocal intergeneric hybridizations were produced between Opisthopappus taihangensis and Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium without emasculation. About 20% seed set was similarly obtained from reciprocal hybridization. Only 5 and 6 of the viable plants observed from 45 and 78 seedling survived present some conspicuous intermediate characteristics. Phenotypic evaluation among the progenies of the parents and the putative hybrids was performed carefully since an average of 5.3% seed set was produced in the type of self-pollination using pollen from the same flower and >10% seed set was similarly obtained in the types of self-pollination using pollen from different flowers in a plant and flowers in individual plants from different seeds. One individual of each hybrid shared the inflorescence habit with the pollen plant was confirmed further by the sequence of ncpGS. The two hybrids might be used as bridges of breeding of multi-generic hybrids.     

Pollination management for controlled hybridization of white yam

Pollination and fertilization success in white yam, Dioscorea rotundata Poir., depend on knowledge and good management of factors influencing the availability of open male flowers from which good pollen can be collected for effective use in pollinations of genetically compatible female plants under non-xeric conditions. In vitro germination of pollen from numerous genotypes demonstrated varied viability (0.3–85.0%). However, pollen from bisexual flowers on monoecious plants was inferior to pollen from unisexual flowers from dioecious plants. Natural pollination by thrips is inefficient, such that populations with higher ratios of male to female plants set more fruits. To improve fruit set, hand pollinations should be made with pollen from diverse genotypes, early in the flowering period when net water balance is positive. In crossing-blocks, male plants should be closely interpositioned with female plants to reduce pollination distance, thereby improving pollination and fruit set.     

Regulated deficit irrigation in potted Dianthus plants: Effects of severe and moderate water stress on growth and physiological responses

The purpose of this study was to analyze the physiological and morphological response of carnation plants to different levels of irrigation and to evaluate regulated deficit irrigation as a possible technique for saving water through the application of controlled drought stress. Carnations, Dianthus caryophyllus L. cultivar, were pot-grown in an unheated greenhouse and submitted to two experiments. In the first experiment, the plants were exposed to three irrigation treatments: (control); 70% of the control (moderate deficit irrigation, MDI) and 35% of the control (severe deficit irrigation, SDI). In the second experiment, the plants were submitted to a control treatment, deficit irrigation (DI, 50% of the control) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI). After 15 weeks, MDI plants showed a slightly reduced total dry weight, plant height and leaf area, while SDI had clearly reduced all the plant size parameters. RDI plants had similar leaf area and total dry weight to the control treatment during the blooming phase. MDI did not affect the number of flowers and no great differences in the colour parameters were observed. RDI plants had higher flower dry weight, while plant quality was affected by the SDI (lower number of shoots and flowers, lower relative chlorophyll content). Leaf osmotic potential decreased with deficit irrigation, but more markedly in SDI, which induced higher values of leaf pressure. Stomatal conductance (g_s) decreased in drought conditions more than the photosynthetic rate (P_n). Osmotic adjustment of 0.3 MPa accompanied by decreases in elasticity in response to drought resulted in turgor less at lower leaf water potentials and prevented turgor loss during drought periods.     

Effects of different mowing treatments and stubble heights on the compensatory growth and quality of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

This study were investigated the effect of mowing method on growth and quality of lettuce. The seedlings after a 24-day incubation in the growth chamber underwent one of six mowing treatments with different stubble heights (i.e. 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 cm). One mowing treatment group consisted of plants that retained the 2–3 new leaves in the centre (RBL), while the other group consisted of plants in which the new leaves were removed (RBN). Seedlings that were not mowed served as the controls. The results showed that, after seedlings continued to be incubated for 10 days under red and blue light in a growth chamber, the fresh mass of plants and dry mass of shoots were higher for the RBL1.0- and RBL1.5-treated plants than those of the RBN-treated plants. With increasing stubble height, the shoot fresh mass of plants in both mowing groups gradually increased. Mowing decreased chlorophyll (a + b) contents, but did not affect carotenoid levels. Mowing treatments promoted photosynthesis, and did not decrease soluble sugar, sucrose, soluble protein, Vitamin C and anthocyanin contents. Our results implied that mowing treatments promote the compensatory growth of lettuce, and mowing plants to a height of 1.5 cm produces the greatest yield benefit.     

Survival,regrowth and rubber production of clipped guayule plants: Effects of irrigation regime,season and line

Guayule (Parthenium argentatum A. Gray) plants of USDA lines 11604,12229 and 11591 were subjected to irrigation regimes of 300,450, and 650 mm/per year and clipped at different ages over a period of several years. Survival, regrowth rates, biomass production, and rubber and resin accumulation in the plants after cutting at ground level were monitored. A survival rate of 92-100% was recorded in plants clipped in February (end of the dormant period) or October (just before the dormant period). In plants cut in summer (July) survival was less and presumably dependent on plant water status and age. No significant differences were evident among the different lines. The best plant development as determined by rate of height increase occurred in plants clipped in February. Total biomass production and total rubber yield (rubber or biomass at the time of cutting plus rubber or biomass at the second harvest) were lower in clipped than in unclipped plants. The reduction in rubber yield was most pronounced in plants of the medium and high water treatments.     

授粉技术和单株留瓜数对鄂丝瓜1号制种效果的影响

以鄂丝瓜1号的父、母本为试材,以父本当天上午开放的雄花为花粉来源,研究了授粉时间、花粉供给量和单株留瓜数对种子产量和质量的影响。试验结果表明,母本雌花开放的当天上午和开花前1 d上午均可作为鄂丝瓜1号制种的适宜授粉时间;以1朵雄花为3朵雌花进行授粉为鄂丝瓜1号制种的首选花粉供给量;鄂丝瓜1号制种中,1株母本可以留5~6个种瓜。     

Inheritance of fertility restoration of male-sterility conferred by cytotype Y and identification of instability of male fertility phenotypes in onion (Allium cepa L.)

A novel onion (Allium cepa L.) cytoplasm, cytotype Y, was found in a previous study. Cytotype Y contained unique stoichiometry of coxI and orf725, a candidate gene responsible for male-sterility induction in onions. A S₁ segregating population was produced from a single plant selected from PI273626. Although male-fertility segregated in this population, the ratio significantly deviated from single-gene inheritance. However, genotypes of RF31446 marker perfectly linked to Ms locus-controlling fertility restoration completely matched with male-fertility phenotypes, indicating that male-fertility restoration of male-sterility conferred by cytotype Y might be determined by the Ms locus. One plant derived from the S₁ population showed discrepancy between male-fertility phenotype and RF31446 genotype. Although the RF31446 genotype was homozygous recessive, reduced amount of pollen grains were observed in anthers. Many pollen grains of the unstable male-sterile plant were deformed. Analysis of 13 molecular markers flanking the Ms locus showed no crossover between the Ms locus and the RF31446 marker. Ten more unstable male-sterile plants were identified from open-pollinated progenies of the unstable male-sterile plant. Viable seeds were successfully produced from unstable male-sterile plants, indicating that pollen grains of the unstable male-sterile plants were partially viable. In addition, an umbel containing unstable male-fertile flowers was identified from one of maintainer lines, although both male and female organs might be sterile in these flowers.     

Chilling requirements of Paeonia cultivars

Dormant second year potted plants of Paeonia ‘Coral Sunset’, ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’, and ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ were placed into three chilling regimes (constant 1, 4, or 7°C) for different durations (3, 6, 9, or 12 weeks) to ascertain their chilling requirements for shoot and flower production. Chilling was followed by forcing for up to 5 weeks at 18°C, then plants were maintained in a controlled greenhouse until flowering had finished. Mean number of shoots and flowers per plant were recorded and the time taken for shoots to sprout was calculated.Control plants (forced immediately without chilling) produced no shoots or flowers. For all cultivars, the proportion of plants that sprouted, and the mean number of shoots and flowers increased as plants were subjected to colder chilling temperatures, or longer chilling durations. However, there were no significant within-cultivar differences between different treatments of 9 weeks or more. The time taken for sprouting to occur after the completion of each chilling treatment consistently decreased as the duration of the chilling treatment increased. In most cases, lower chilling temperatures lead to more rapid sprouting once plants were placed in the 18°C forcing conditions.When a simple model was fitted where the chilling temperature and duration of each treatment was described by a cumulative normal curve rising from zero to some maximum value (or potential) once adequate chilling had been received, we found that temperatures of 4 and 7°C provided only 83 and 59%, respectively, of the chilling accumulated per unit time at 1°C. ‘Coral Sunset’, an interspecific hybrid early flowering type, required the greatest amount of chilling to sprout consistently, while ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, a very late flowering type, required the least. Of the three cultivars, ‘Sarah Bernhardt’ also required the least amount of chilling to achieve its potential shoot and flower numbers, while ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’, a mid-season flowering type, required the most chilling to achieve the same end for these two variables. This suggests that the response to spring temperatures as well as chilling influences the time of flowering.     

GA4+7 plus benzyladenine reduce foliar chlorosis of Lilium longiflorum

The effectiveness of two commercial formulations of gibberellin (GA) and benzyladenine (BA) for reducing foliar chlorosis on Easter lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) was compared. On a per liter basis, plants were sprayed with 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg (BA equivalent) of Accel (GA₄₊₇:BA of 1:10) or Promalin (GA₄₊₇:BA of 1:1) when the crop leaf area index (LAI)=3. One group of plants was sprayed with 100 mg of Accel or Promalin (BA equivalent) per liter twice: once at LAI=3 and again 3 weeks later. Plants were harvested when the largest flower bud on each plant measured 13 cm in length, stored for 0 or 3 weeks at 2.5°C in the dark, and then moved into a post-harvest evaluation room at 21°C, where foliar chlorosis was monitored for 3 weeks. Senescence of some lower leaves on plants in every treatment was evident at harvest, and incidence of senescence increased during the 21 days of post-harvest evaluation. Cold storage increased the number of leaves senescing during the subsequent evaluation period. Application of Promalin or Accel significantly reduced leaf senescence compared to that of untreated plants. At harvest, 21% of the leaves on untreated plants were senescent, while plants treated with Promalin or Accel averaged 3 or 9% senescent leaves, respectively. Following 7 days of post-harvest evaluation, Promalin was more effective in preventing chlorosis than Accel at the 400 mg l⁻¹ (BA equivalent) level. Following 14 or 21 days of post-harvest evaluation, Promalin was more effective than Accel for the 100 mg l⁻¹ 2× and 400 mg l⁻¹ (BA equivalent) treatments.Plants in all Promalin and Accel treatments were taller than untreated plants 1 week after sprays were applied. At harvest, plants sprayed with Promalin were between 6 and 14 cm taller than untreated plants, but those treated with Accel were the same height as untreated plants.Neither Promalin nor Accel influenced the occurrence of malformed or aborted flowers in this study. However, cold storage significantly increased the number of plants with aborted buds and malformed flowers. Unstored plants averaged 0.16 aborted buds and 0.02 malformed flowers each, while those stored 3 weeks averaged 0.51 aborted buds and 0.18 malformed flowers each.     

苹果属四倍性皱叶矮生株系小孢子败育过程的解剖观察

为了研究平邑甜茶与扎矮山定子杂交后代中四倍性皱叶矮生株系10#和23#植株的雄性不育表现和细胞学特征,在观测花朵形态基础上,采用石蜡切片法显微观察了四倍性皱叶矮生株系及父本扎矮山定子(对照)的小孢子发生和败育过程。结果表明,10#和23#株系能产生雄蕊,但在初花期就出现花药干瘪现象,也没有显现花粉。显微观察发现:10#和23#株系在小孢子母细胞的形态特征和发育过程上与对照没有明显区别,它们的小孢子母细胞也能进行减数分裂并形成形态正常的二分体和四分体,但未能形成单核花粉粒;到开花前它们的花药均表现空囊现象;因此,10#和23#株系的小孢子败育时期是在四分体到单核花粉粒期间。     

Interactions of photoperiod,temperature, duration of short-day treatment and plant age on flowering of Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. Korona

The effects of photoperiod (10, 12, 16, 20 or 24 h), day-temperature (12, 15, 18, 24 or 30 °C), the number of short days (14, 21 or 28 days), plant age (4, 8 or 12 weeks) and their interactions on flower and inflorescence emergence were investigated in strawberry cv. Korona. No flowers emerged in plants exposed to photoperiods of 16, 20 or 24 h or to a short-day treatment for 14 days. All plants exposed to short days at daily photoperiods of 10 or 12 h for 21 days or longer, emerged flowers at temperatures between 12 and 18 °C. A further increase in temperature led to a drastic decrease in the total number of flowers per plant. A short-day treatment (10 or 12 h photoperiod) of 28 days resulted in highest numbers of inflorescences and flowers per plant, while a short-day treatment of 21 days resulted in the highest numbers of flowers per inflorescence. Complete flower induction was observed in only 4-week-old runner plants. The number of inflorescences and the number of flowers per inflorescence increased with plant age. However, the start of flowering was delayed with increasing plant age.     

珍稀濒危植物柄扁桃的花部特征比较研究

通过对2种柄扁桃花(白花和粉花)花部特征比较研究.结果表明:2种类型的花在花冠直径、花瓣长度、柱头高度等方面存在差异,而且白花的单花花粉量,花粉/胚珠比率(P/O)少于粉花.另外,白花的花粉活力和柱头可授性显著高于粉花(P0.05).     

百合新品种‘初夏’

 ‘初夏’百合是以亚洲百合杂种系黄色花品种‘金角’（Golden Horn）为母本,以亚洲百合杂种系橙色花品种‘布鲁内诺’（Brunello）为父本,杂交选育而成。切花生产日数短,丰花。株高65 ~ 70 cm,花径16 ~ 17 cm。花橙色,无斑点,花丝和花柱橙色,花粉黑褐色。三倍体,生长强健,抗逆性强,适宜中国华东地区栽培。     

切花菊周年生产栽培技术

根据多年的切花菊栽培技术开发研究,总结出一套实用的栽培技术.包括品种选择、茬口安排、种苗培育、栽培管理、病虫害防治、采收包装等方面,对实现切花菊周年生产有重要的意义.     

Rose flower production as related to plant architecture and carbohydrate content: Effect of harvesting method and plant type

Summary

The dependence between flowering cycles and woody stem parts of a rose crop was studied, with respect to plant architecture and carbohydrate content. Two harvesting methods (“control” versus “flush”) and two plant types (“control” versus “one stemmed”) were compared. Crop growth and partitioning of dry matter were studied as influenced by crop management during 18 months of culture. For a full-productive year, flush harvesting generally promoted bud break as compared with continuous harvesting but at the same time, also due to lower light interception, blind-shoot formation was enhanced and the individual flower weight reduced. Numbers of basal shoots were hardly related to flower production over a full cropping year. Flower production was much more sensitive to the number and diameter of branches at the height of cutting the flowers. The treatments did not affect carbohydrate allocation in the plant. Total carbohydrate storage was much too low to argue a clear role for the possible use of movement of carbohydrate reserves towards new growth. Maximum starch concentration was found at the beginning of summer and gradually dropped to a minimum in December and then increased again to a spring maximum. A cold treatment did increase the total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentration but no positive influence on new basal-shoot formation was observed. No starch gradient was found in basal stem parts.