Plant quarantine inspection,procedures and facilities for the import and export of seeds and vegetative propagules at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

Abstract

The inevitable large‐scale plant germplasm exchanges between countries for crop improvement have led to strict plant quarantine inspections, safeguards, and sometimes restrictions. The paper describes the procedures and techniques adopted for the safe exchange by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‐Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) plant germplasm in India. Safeguards for the imported germplasm include intermediate quarantine for groundnut (Arachis sp.) cuttings, fumigation, dry seed inspection, and microscopic examination followed by seed treatment and growing of healthy crops in a quarantine isolation area before releasing seeds of disease free progeny to the scientists. Similarly, inspection of crops before collection of seeds followed by fumigation, microscopic examination, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for groundnut viruses, seed treatment, and finally good packing have been found effective for export of healthy seeds.     

Phytogeography of the northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea： native flora and recent colonizations

The northeastern coast of the Caspian Sea is one of the youngest territories for plant colonization in Kazakhstan,and the flora of the most recent portion of this coastal area,the New Caspian marine plain,was chosen to study phytogeographical characteristics of plant species,especially as related to alien origin and invasive potential.Because of the recent formation of this flora,I expected that a large proportion of the species may be alien and invasive.After compiling a comprehensive species list from previous research,I identified the taxonomic,life form,ecological,and geographical structures of the flora.The area belongs to the northern type of deserts with continental climate and low annual precipitation.Taxonomic and life form structures show that the flora is specific to Central Asian deserts.Ecological structure demonstrates a high percentage of halophytes,which resulted from their adaptation to soil salinity and shallow ground waters that occur throughout the study area.Geoelements of the flora indicate allochtonous properties of the flora(i.e.species derived from areas outside the study area) with a low proportion of native(Caspian) plants.Alien species are estimated to comprise 12%-19% of the flora.Although some species have invasive features,severe arid environmental conditions and high salinity of soils and ground waters decrease invasive capacity of exotic plants.However,a threat of expansion of potentially invasive plants exists in the New Caspian marine plain due to the fast growth of anthropogenic habitats associated with recent oil developments.     

Report on the 42nd joint meeting of the DPG-working group Nematology and the working group “free living nematodes”

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection -     

Origin and circulation of saline springs in the Kuqa Basin of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

It is widely accepted that hydrogeochemistry of saline springs is extremely important to understand the water circulation and evolution of saline basins and to evaluate the potential of potassium-rich evaporites.The Kuqa Basin,located in the northern part of the Tarim Basin in Northwest China,is a saline basin regarded as the most potential potash-seeking area.However,the origin and water circulation processes of saline springs have yet to be fully characterized in this saline basin.In this study,a total of 30 saline spring samples and 11 river water samples were collected from the Qiulitage Structural Belt(QSB)of the Kuqa Basin.They were analyzed for major(K^+,Ca2^+,Na^+,Mg2^+,SO42-,Cl-and HCO3-)and trace(Sr2^+and Br-)ion concentrations,stable H-O-Sr isotopes and tritium concentrations in combination with previously published hydrogeochemical and isotopic(H-O)data in the same area.It is found that the water chemical type of saline springs in the study area belonged to the Na-Cl type,and that of river water belonged to the Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4 type.The total dissolved solid(TDS)of saline springs in the QSB ranged from 117.77 to 314.92 g/L,reaching the brine level.On the basis of the general chemical compositions and the characteristics of the stable H-O-Sr isotopes of saline springs,we infer that those saline springs mainly originated from precipitation following river water recharging.In addition,we found that saline springs were not formed by evapo-concentration because it is unlikely that the high chloride concentration of saline springs resulted in evapo-concentration and high salinity.Therefore,we conclude that saline spring water may have experienced intense evapo-concentration before dissolving the salty minerals or after returning to the surface.The results show that the origin of salinity was mainly dominated by dissolving salty minerals due to the river water and/or precipitation that passed through the halite-rich stratum.Moreover,there are two possible origins of saline springs in the QSB:one is the infiltration of the meteoric water(river water),which then circulates deep into the earth,wherein it dissolves salty minerals,travels along the fault and returns to the surface;another is the mixture of formation water,or the mixture of seawater or marine evaporate sources and its subsequent discharge to the surface under fault conditions.Our findings provide new insight into the possible saltwater circulation and evolution of saline basins in the Tarim Basin.     

How precipitation and grazing influence the ecological functions of drought-prone grasslands on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains,China?

Drought-prone grasslands provide a critical resource for the millions of people who are dependent on livestock for food security.However,this ecosystem is potentially vulnerable to climate change(e.g.,precipitation)and human activity(e.g.,grazing).Despite this,the influences of precipitation and grazing on ecological functions of drought-prone grasslands in the Tianshan Mountains remain relatively unexplored.Therefore,we conducted a systematic field investigation and a clipping experiment(simulating different intensities of grazing)in a drought-prone grassland on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in China to examine the influences of precipitation and grazing on aboveground biomass(AGB),soil volumetric water content(SVWC),and precipitation use efficiency(PUE)during the period of 2014–2017.We obtained the meteorological and SVWC data using an HL20 Bowen ratio system and a PR2 soil profile hydrometer,respectively.We found that AGB was clearly affected by both the amount and seasonal pattern of precipitation,and that PUE may be relatively low in years with either low or excessive precipitation.The PUE values were generally higher in the rapid growing season(April–July)than in the entire growing season(April–October).Overall,moderate grazing can promote plant growth under water stress conditions.The SVWC value was higher in the clipped plots than in the unclipped plots in the rapid growing season(April–July),but it was lower in the clipped plots than in the unclipped plots in the slow growing season(August–October).Our findings can enhance the understanding of the ecological effects of precipitation and grazing in drought-prone grasslands and provide data that will support the effective local grassland management.     

Acceptability of pesticide impacts on the environment: what do United Kingdom stakeholders and the public value?

EU Directive 91/414/EEC requires there to be no unacceptable effects on the environment from the use of pesticides. This paper reports the views of direct stakeholder groups and results from an opinion survey of more than 2000 members of the general public on what in practice should constitute acceptable and unacceptable effects of pesticides. Stakeholders in focus groups were concerned with the potential effects of pesticides on animal and plant population viability and micro-organism function but recognized that a trade-off exists between the potential economic advantages of responsible pesticide use and the potential disadvantages of individual poisoning events. The public opinion survey showed that although pesticides are widely used in homes and gardens, their use on farm crops remains of concern to the public. Concerns are greatest on issues of human health and food quality but potential environmental effects are also an issue for a substantial number of people, particularly if attractive species could be affected.     

Nutrient addition and disturbance effects on the community composition and assembly in a desert steppe北大核心CSCD

The effects of short-term nutrient additions (NPKμ, 10 g·m- 2) and disturbances on the species diversity, functional traits, soil properties, and community assembly mechanisms of the herbaceous community in the Urat desert steppe were examined. A mixed linear model, principal component analysis, and null model methods were utilized and both disturbance and interaction treatments were found to significantly reduce species richness and β diversity. Short-term nutrient additions significantly reduced soil pH but increased soil electrical conductivity. Six functional traits of the dominant species (i.e. Stipa glareosa, Peganum harmala, Salsola collina, Corispermum mongolicum) and six community-weighted mean significant changes under the disturbance and nutrient addition treatments were identified. The disturbance and nutrient additions promoted the transformation of the dominant species in the community from conservative strategies to acquisitive strategies. The results of the two null models revealed that community assembly under the control tended to be a stochastic process, while the disturbance and interaction treatments tended to be deterministic processes, and that of the nutrient addition treatments tended to be weaker deterministic processes. Plant communities in the desert steppe responded and adapted to the nutrient additions and disturbances through changes in the dominant species and their crucial functional traits. © 2023 Chinese Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.     

MALDI-Qq-TOF-MS and transient gene expression analysis indicated co-enhancement of β-1,3-glucanase and endochitinase by tMEK2 and the involvement of divergent pathways

A mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been demonstrated as a key pathway in plant defense against pathogen attacks. With proteomics approaches, we specifically studied activation events downstream of a MAPK kinase, tMEK2, in tomato. Overexpression of a constitutively activated tomato MAPK kinase gene (tMEK2^MUT) enhanced resistance of transgenic tomato lines to the virulent bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Pathogenesis-related genes, PR1b1, β-1,3-glucanase, and endochitinase were up-regulated by tMEK2^MUT. Two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry analysis of total soluble leaf proteins indicated that β-1,3-glucanase and endochitinase are among the up-regulated proteins in these transgenic plants. Co-expression studies using a transient gene expression system have indicated that β-1,3-glucanase and endochitinase genes up-regulated by tMEK2^MUT were down-regulated by different specific phosphatases through dephosphorylation of certain downstream signaling molecules. Our observations indicate that increased products of β-1,3-glucanase and endochitinase genes downstream of tMEK2 may play an important role in achieving disease resistance.     

Effects of climate change and land use/cover change on the volume of the Qinghai Lake in China

Qinghai Lake is the largest saline lake in China.The change in the lake volume is an indicator of the variation in water resources and their response to climate change on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)in China.The present study quantitatively evaluated the effects of climate change and land use/cover change(LUCC)on the lake volume of the Qinghai Lake in China from 1958 to 2018,which is crucial for water resources management in the Qinghai Lake Basin.To explore the effects of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume,we analyzed the lake level observation data and multi-period land use/land cover(LULC)data by using an improved lake volume estimation method and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.Our results showed that the lake level decreased at the rate of 0.08 m/a from 1958 to 2004 and increased at the rate of 0.16 m/a from 2004 to 2018.The lake volume decreased by 105.40×10⁸ m³ from 1958 to 2004,with the rate of 2.24×10⁸ m³/a,whereas it increased by 74.02×10⁸ m³ from 2004 to 2018,with the rate of 4.66×10⁸ m³/a.Further,the climate of the Qinghai Lake Basin changed from warm-dry to warm-humid.From 1958 to 2018,the increase in precipitation and the decrease in evaporation controlled the change of the lake volume,which were the main climatic factors affecting the lake volume change.From 1977 to 2018,the measured water yield showed an"increase-decrease-increase"fluctuation in the Qinghai Lake Basin.The effects of climate change and LUCC on the measured water yield were obviously different.From 1977 to 2018,the contribution rate of LUCC was -0.76% and that of climate change was 100.76%;the corresponding rates were 8.57% and 91.43% from 1977 to 2004,respectively,and -4.25% and 104.25% from 2004 to 2018,respectively.Quantitative analysis of the effects and contribution rates of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume revealed the scientific significance of climate change and LUCC,as well as their individual and combined effects in the Qinghai Lake Basin and on the QTP.This study can contribute to the water resources management and regional sustainable development of the Qinghai Lake Basin.     

Analysis on the Change Trend of Temperature and Precipitation in Xi＇an during the Period of 1961-2009

利用西安市1961-2009年的月平均气温与降水资料,对西安市气候特征及动态变化进行分析。结果显示：年平均气温及春、秋、冬季气温呈上升趋势,增温率分别为0.3℃/10 a,0.54℃/10 a,0.23℃/10 a和0.42℃/10 a,春、冬季升温明显。1月平均气温总趋势上升,升温率为0.23℃/10 a,20世纪80年代开始7月升温明显。年降水量有减少倾向,春、秋季降水明显减少,其中春季减少率为-14.8 mm/10 a,而夏季降水明显增加,增长率为21.8 mm/10 a,冬季降水小幅度增加。80年代及2001-2009年汛期年均降水较多。春、夏、秋季气温与降水有较好的相关性,而全年及冬季气温与降水相关规律不明显。     

Responses of leaf water potential and gas exchange to the precipitation manipulation in two shrubs on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Regulation of leaf gas exchange plays an important role in the survival of trees and shrubs under future climate change. However, the responses of leaf water potential and gas exchange of shrubs in semi-arid areas to the precipitation alteration are not clear. Here, we conducted a manipulated experiment with three levels of precipitation, i.e., a control with ambient precipitation, 50% above ambient precipitation(irrigation treatment), and 50% below ambient precipitation(drought treatment), with two common shrubs, Salix psammophila C. Wang & C. Y. Yang(isohydric plant, maintaining a constant leaf water potential by stomatal regulation) and Caragana korshinskii Kom.(anisohydric plant, having more variable leaf water potential), on the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2014 and 2015. We measured the seasonal variations of predawn and midday leaf water potential(Ψpd and Ψmd), two parameters of gas exchange, i.e., light-saturated assimilation(An) and stomatal conductance(gs), and other foliar and canopy traits. The isohydric S. psammophila had a similar An and a higher gs than the anisohydric C. korshinskii under drought treatment in 2015, inconsistent with the view that photosynthetic capacity of anisohydric plants is higher than isohydric plants under severe drought. The two shrubs differently responded to precipitation manipulation. Ψpd, An and gs were higher under irrigation treatment than control for S. psammophila, and these three variables and Ψmd were significantly higher under irrigation treatment and lower under drought treatment than control for C. korshinskii. Leaf water potential and gas exchange responded to manipulated precipitation more strongly for C. korshinskii than for S. psammophila. However, precipitation manipulation did not alter the sensitivity of leaf gas exchange to vapor-pressure deficit and soil moisture in these two shrubs. Acclimation to long-term changes in soil moisture in these two shrubs was primarily attributed to the changes in leaf or canopy structure rather than leaf gas exchange. These findings will be useful for modeling canopy water-carbon exchange and elucidating the adaptive strategies of these two shrubs to future changes in precipitation.     

Effects of long-term warming on the aboveground biomass and species diversity in an alpine meadow on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau of China

Ecosystems in high-altitude regions are more sensitive and respond more rapidly than other ecosystems to global climate warming.The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)of China is an ecologically fragile zone that is sensitive to global climate warming.It is of great importance to study the changes in aboveground biomass and species diversity of alpine meadows on the QTP under predicted future climate warming.In this study,we selected an alpine meadow on the QTP as the study object and used infrared radiators as the warming device for a simulation experiment over eight years(2011-2018).We then analyzed the dynamic changes in aboveground biomass and species diversity of the alpine meadow at different time scales,including an early stage of warming(2011-2013)and a late stage of warming(2016-2018),in order to explore the response of alpine meadows to short-term(three years)and long-term warming(eight years).The results showed that the short-term warming increased air temperature by 0.31℃and decreased relative humidity by 2.54%,resulting in the air being warmer and drier.The long-term warming increased air temperature and relative humidity by 0.19℃and 1.47%,respectively,and the air tended to be warmer and wetter.The short-term warming increased soil temperature by 2.44℃and decreased soil moisture by 12.47%,whereas the long-term warming increased soil temperature by 1.76℃and decreased soil moisture by 9.90%.This caused the shallow soil layer to become warmer and drier under both short-term and long-term warming.Furthermore,the degree of soil drought was alleviated with increased warming duration.Under the long-term warming,the importance value and aboveground biomass of plants in different families changed.The importance values of grasses and sedges decreased by 47.56%and 3.67%,respectively,while the importance value of weeds increased by 1.37%.Aboveground biomass of grasses decreased by 36.55%,while those of sedges and weeds increased by 8.09%and 15.24%,respectively.The increase in temperature had a non-significant effect on species diversity.The species diversity indices increased at the early stage of warming and decreased at the late stage of warming,but none of them reached significant levels(P>0.05).Species diversity had no significant correlation with soil temperature and soil moisture under both short-term and long-term warming.Soil temperature and aboveground biomass were positively correlated in the control plots(P=0.014),but negatively correlated under the long-term warming(P=0.013).Therefore,eight years of warming aggravated drought in the shallow soil layer,which is beneficial for the growth of weeds but not for the growth of grasses.Warming changed the structure of alpine meadow communities and had a certain impact on the community species diversity.Our studies have great significance for the protection and effective utilization of alpine vegetation,as well as for the prevention of grassland degradation or desertification in high-altitude regions.     

Phenotypic and genotypic structure of Phytophthora infestans populations on tomato and potato in the North of Thailand in 2000–2002

A total of 80 single–lesion isolates of Phytophthora infestans were collected from tomatoes and potatoes in several locations in Chiang Mai and Tak provinces in 2000–2002. These isolates were analyzed for mating type, metalaxyl sensitivity, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype RFLP pattern as determined by probe RG57, and for microsatellite markers. All isolates were A1 mating type. Isolates from tomato were usually sensitive to metalaxyl, but isolates from potato were usually resistant to metalaxyl. With one exception, all tomato isolates were related to the US-1 clonal lineage. With two exceptions, all potato isolates were related to two European lineages. In these two provinces, the populations of P. infestans on tomatoes are clearly different from those on potatoes.     

Development of a qPCR test to detect and quantify Elsinoë piri in unsprayed and organic apple orchards and assessment of apple cultivar susceptibility to the disease

Recently, Elsinoë piri has become an important pathogen in unsprayed and organic apple orchards. The increasing demand for organic apples as well as the limited use of fungicides imposed by European legislation has turned this pathogen, which has been known for over a century in Europe, into a resurgent phytosanitary threat. It also represents a new trait to be taken into account in apple breeding programmes. As E. piri is extremely difficult to isolate and causes symptoms that can be confused with those caused by other pathogens, a quantitative PCR (qPCR) test has been developed based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA gene. This test, which displays a low limit of detection, allows the early detection of the fungus in apple leaves. As a quantitative method, it is a promising tool for breeding purposes as it can be used on leaves to assess the level of quantitative resistance of apple cultivars to the disease. The molecular test is also useful to gain knowledge on the epidemiology of this re-emerging fungal disease. Spore trapping conducted in 2015, 2016 and 2020 using Rotorod devices and the qPCR test showed that airborne inoculum is released at the end of the growing season. Tests were also carried out to demonstrate that the pathogen was detected in buds during winter. A comparison of 18 E. piri isolates based on the sequencing of five genome regions highlighted a high genotypic diversity. All these isolates were detected with the qPCR test developed in this study.     

Spatial distribution of δ~2H and δ~18O values in the hydrologic cycle of the Nile Basin

Existing δ2H and δ18O values for precipitation and surface water in the Nile Basin were used to analyze precipitation inputs and the influence of evaporation on the isotopic signal of the Nile River and its tributaries. The goal of the data analysis was to better understand basin processes that influence seasonal streamflow for the source waters of the Nile River, because climate and hydrologic models have continued to produce high uncertainty in the prediction of precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin. An evaluation of differences in precipitation δ2H and δ18O values through linear regression and distribution analysis indicate variation by region and season in the isotopic signal of precipitation across the Nile Basin. The White Nile Basin receives precipitation with a more depleted isotopic signal compared to the Blue Nile Basin. The hot temperatures of the Sahelian spring produce a greater evaporation signal in the precipitation isotope distribution compared to precipitation in the Sahara/Mediterranean region, which can be influenced by storms moving in from the Mediterranean Sea. The larger evaporative effect is reversed for the two regions in summer because of the cooling of the Sahel from inflow of Indian Ocean monsoon moisture that predominantly influences the climate of the Blue Nile Basin. The regional precipitation isotopic signals convey to each region's streamflow, which is further modified by additional evaporation according to the local climate. Isotope ratios for White Nile streamflow are significantly altered by evaporation in the Sudd, but this isotopic signal is minimized for streamflow in the Nile River during the winter, spring and summer seasons because of the flow dominance of the Blue Nile. During fall, the contribution from the White Nile may exceed that of the Blue Nile, and the heavier isotopic signal of the White Nile becomes apparent. The variation in climatic conditions of the Nile River Basin provides a means of identifying mechanistic processes through changes in isotope ratios of hydrogen and oxygen, which have utility for separating precipitation origin and the effect of evaporation during seasonal periods. The existing isotope record for precipitation and streamflow in the Nile Basin can be used to evaluate predicted streamflow in the Nile River from a changing climate that is expected to induce further changes in precipitation patterns across the Nile Basin.     

Can spinosad be effective for the integrated management of Anastrepha ludens (Tephritidae) in soil and fallen fruit,and be compatible with the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Braconidae)?

Phytoparasitica - Tephritid fruit flies are susceptible to insecticide treatments when leaving infested fruit to pupate in the soil and when emerging as adults. Laboratory experiments involved...