饥饿程度及取食不同植物对莲草直胸跳甲消化酶的影响

为明确莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila成虫消化酶的作用,分别采用3,5-二硝基水杨酸法、福林-酚法、碘-淀粉比色法测定其取食喜旱莲子草、莙荙及饥饿48 h后纤维素酶、蛋白酶、淀粉酶的变化,以及饥饿不同时间对3种消化酶的影响。结果表明,取食不同植物后,莲草直胸跳甲成虫的纤维素酶、淀粉酶、蛋白酶活力差异显著,其中取食莙荙后其体内纤维素酶(葡聚糖外切酶、葡聚糖内切酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶)和淀粉酶活力最高,分别为3.07、6.63、6.79、23.48 U/mg,是对照的1.21、3.18、2.43和1.34倍;取食喜旱莲子草后其蛋白酶活力最高,为25.09μg·mg~(-1)·min~(-1)。饥饿不同时间对莲草直胸跳甲成虫体内纤维素酶、淀粉酶、蛋白酶活力有显著影响,随着饥饿时间的延长,纤维素酶、淀粉酶活力均逐渐降低,而蛋白酶活力呈先升高后降低的趋势,饥饿36 h对成虫蛋白酶活力的促进作用最强,为20.64μg·mg~(-1)·min~(-1),是对照的1.11倍;饥饿60 h后其蛋白酶活力最低,仅为10.17μg·mg~(-1)·min~(-1)。表明饥饿初期对莲草直胸跳甲成虫消化酶起促进作用;取食莙荙后可增强其体内淀粉酶、纤维素酶的分解作用,取食喜旱莲子草可增强其体内蛋白酶活力。     

莲草直胸跳甲羧酸酯酶基因AhCesB1的克隆、序列分析及表达特征

莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila是入侵杂草喜旱莲子草的专食性天敌。为进一步明确莲草直胸跳甲寄主专一性的分子机制,通过分析其转录组数据克隆羧酸酯酶(carboxylesterases,Car Es)基因,采用RT-PCR技术从其体内获得1个羧酸酯酶B簇基因并进行生物信息学分析,同时利用实时定量PCR方法检测其在不同身体部位及不同发育阶段的表达特性,并对饥饿处理、取食靶标植物喜旱莲子草和非靶标植物莙荙后该基因的表达水平进行比较。结果显示,克隆得到1条莲草直胸跳甲羧酸酯酶基因的cDNA全长序列,长度为1 851 bp,开放阅读框长度为1 647 bp,编码548个氨基酸,以该基因推导的氨基酸序列与其它物种的CarEs进行聚类分析,发现此基因为羧酸酯酶B簇家族成员,命名为AhCesB1(GenBank登录号KT032151)。实时定量PCR检测结果显示,AhCesB1基因在莲草直胸跳甲3龄期表达量最高,成虫期和蛹期表达量次之,卵、1龄和2龄期表达量相对较低。AhCesB1基因在头和中肠的表达量较低,在其余身体部分表达量较高。取食莙荙后AhCesB1表达量显著增高,为饥饿处理的13.7倍,而取食喜旱莲子草与饥饿处理并无显著差异。表明莲草直胸跳甲AhCesB1在不同发育阶段和成虫不同身体部位具有不同的表达水平,而非寄主植物莙荙可以诱导该基因的表达,推测羧酸酯酶在莲草直胸跳甲代谢次生物质中发挥着重要作用。     

莲草直胸跳甲在几种非靶标植物上的适合度比较

莲草直胸跳甲是防治入侵杂草喜旱莲子草的引进天敌,为检测莲草直胸跳甲对非靶标植物的影响,选取了29种具有代表性的植物对该天敌进行了3种选择和1种非选择性压力的测试.在全组植物或移除喜旱莲子草组中,莲草直胸跳甲成虫和幼虫对喜旱莲子草和非靶标近缘种莲子草的取食面积均显著大于其它非靶标植物,幼虫还可取食非靶标植物若蘧、反枝苋等;成虫在无喜旱莲子草时可取食若蘧和甜菜.当移除喜旱莲子草和莲子草时,成虫和幼虫对若蘧和甜菜的取食面积分别提高22.33、4倍和1.76、16.42倍.在非选择测试中,成虫和幼虫对喜旱莲子草和莲子草的取食显著高于其它组,其它植物均不能满足其正常发育和生存.研究表明,莲草直胸跳甲对莲子草属植物的适合度最高.     

利用光谱特征评价莲草直胸跳甲对喜旱莲子草的控制效果

为建立快速有效的喜旱莲子草生物防治效果评价技术体系,采用基于成像光谱遥感技术的多波段光谱辐射仪,研究了利用冠层光谱特征值评价天敌昆虫莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila对喜旱莲子草Alternanthera philoxeroides控制效果的方法。结果表明,莲草直胸跳甲取食引起喜旱莲子草冠层光谱变化,在可见光区绿光波段（中心波长约560 nm）和近红外波段（中心波段810 nm）,喜旱莲子草冠层光谱反射率随莲草直胸跳甲密度的增加逐渐下降,而在红光波段（中心波长约660 nm）呈上升趋势。莲草直胸跳甲取食还导致喜旱莲子草植被指数的变化。在近红外区760～810 nm波段莲草直胸跳甲的控制效果与喜旱莲子草冠层光谱反射率呈极显著负相关,相关系数为-0.92,故可将760～810 nm波长范围作为监测莲草直胸跳甲对喜旱莲子草控制效果的敏感波段。     

莲草直胸跳甲气味结合蛋白鉴定及其在触角中的表达分析

为阐明莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila对其寄主植物喜旱莲子草Alternanthera philoxeroides的专一性识别过程中气味结合蛋白(odorant-binding protein,OBP)的作用,基于莲草直胸跳甲三代全长转录组测序结果筛选获得其所有OBP基因并进行生物信息学分析,以最大似然法构建莲草直胸跳甲OBP的系统进化树,并通过定量PCR分析这些OBP基因在其触角中的表达量。结果表明,全长转录组测序结果中共鉴定得到53个莲草直胸跳甲AhygOBP基因,所编码蛋白有36个属于Minus-C家族,11个属于Classic家族,5个属于Plus-C家族,1个属于Atypical家族。进化分析结果显示,大部分莲草直胸跳甲AhygOBP与其它目昆虫OBP为直系同源。莲草直胸跳甲AhygOBP基因在触角中的表达分析结果显示,将表达量最低的AhygOBP31作为基准1,表达量最高的依次为AhygOBP53、AhygOBP32、AhygOBP13、AhygOBP28、AhygOBP44、AhygOBP45、AhygOBP29、AhygOBP37、AhygOBP24,其中AhygOBP53的表达量是AhygOBP31的106 000倍。推测这些触角中高表达的AhygOBP可能在宿主植物识别中发挥重要作用。     

根结线虫侵染寄主对莲草直胸跳甲生长发育及食物利用的影响

分别用接种南方根结线虫的空心莲子草、莲子草和未接种南方根结线虫的空心莲子草、莲子草喂养莲草直胸跳甲幼虫,比较两种寄主植物莲草直胸跳甲饲喂生长发育及食物利用情况。结果表明,植物种类和线虫侵染的交互作用对莲草直胸跳甲的化蛹率、蛹重及食物转化率存在极显著影响。在未接种线虫处理中,两种寄主植物上莲草直胸跳甲生长发育及食物利用指标均无显著差异,接种线虫后,空心莲子草饲喂的莲草直胸跳甲化蛹率和蛹重显著降低,莲子草饲喂的莲草直胸跳甲蛹重和食物转化率显著增高。由此推断,南方根结线虫侵染抑制了空心莲子草上莲草直胸跳甲的生长发育,而促进了莲子草上莲草直胸跳甲的生长发育及食物利用。     

喜旱莲子草次生代谢物对莲草直胸跳甲谷胱甘肽S-转移酶和淀粉酶活性的影响

为明确喜旱莲子草的次生代谢物对其专食性天敌-莲草直胸跳甲Agasicles hygrophila成虫解毒酶和消化酶的影响,利用不同浓度的橙花叔醇、齐墩果酸和甜菜碱浸叶处理喜旱莲子草Alternanthera philoxeroides,连续饲喂莲草直胸跳甲1~3 d后,测定莲草直胸跳甲谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(GSTs)和淀粉酶(AMS)的活性变化。结果表明,橙花叔醇、齐墩果酸和甜菜碱均能抑制莲草直胸跳甲的GSTs活性,0.1%橙花叔醇和20%甜菜碱处理24 h时的GSTs活性最低,分别为45.67 U/mg和53.95 U/mg,0.2%齐墩果处理72 h时的GSTs活性最低,为98.77 U/mg,且莲草直胸跳甲对橙花叔醇的刺激存在着一种适应机制;0.5%橙花叔醇和0.1%齐墩果酸处理24 h后的GSTs活性最高,分别为243.10 U/mg和250.22 U/mg,是对照的1.55倍和1.59倍,存在诱导激活现象。甜菜碱对莲草直胸跳甲的AMS活性有明显的抑制作用,20%甜菜碱处理72 h后AMS活性最低,为1.01 U/mg,是对照的55.92%。表明喜旱莲子草3种次生代谢物均能抑制谷胱甘肽S-转移酶活性,其中橙花叔醇和齐墩果酸对谷胱甘肽S-转移酶有诱导激活作用,而甜菜碱对淀粉酶抑制作用较强。     

喜旱莲子草天敌——莲草直胸跳甲引种方法介绍

本文论述了作为入侵杂草喜旱莲子草优势天敌——莲草直胸跳甲的长距离和短距离引种方法,对其三种虫态的引种方法分别做了介绍。成虫适宜长距离和短距离引种;幼虫和卵适合做短距离引种。这为成功防治恶性杂草喜旱莲子草提供了技术指导。     

广东莲草直胸跳甲生物学的观察

空心莲子草 ( Alternanthera philoxeroides)为一种多年生恶性杂草 ,属苋科 ,莲子草属 ,在我国各地又名水花生、空心苋、喜旱莲子草等 ,具有繁殖迅速 ,适应性强和难以用化学除草剂根除的特点 [1 ] 。该草原产南美 ,大约本世纪 40年代传入我国 ,现成为南方各省主要恶性杂草 ,已泛滥成灾 ,给农业和水产养殖业造成极大危害 [2 ]。莲草直胸跳甲 ( Agasicles hygrophila)原产阿根廷 ,是空心莲子草的天敌。李宏科等 [3] 报道了莲草直胸跳甲的大量繁殖及释放技术 ,对应用莲草直胸跳甲的可行性作了研究。吴珍泉等 [4]对莲草直胸跳甲生物学特性进行…     

莲草直胸跳甲在不同生态型空心莲子草上的化蛹适应性

对莲草直胸跳甲在不同生态型空心莲子草上化蛹能力的研究表明：美国和重庆种群对不同生态型空心莲子草的化蛹适应性无显著差异；空心莲子草的生态型是影响莲草直胸跳甲化蛹能力的重要因子，在水生型草上化蛹能力显著高于湿生型和旱生型；水生型空心莲子草的直径大小不影响跳甲的化蛹能力，而陆生型空心莲子草的直径是影响其化蛹能力的重要因子；在陆生型草上，随着生长环境水分的降低，莲草直胸跳甲对直径较大的空心莲子草有很强的选择性；该虫在不同生态型草上的化蛹率与化蛹位置有关。莲草直胸跳甲能有效地控制水生型空心莲子草，对陆生型草可起到一定程度的抑制作用。     

Epidemiology and simulation of population development of Sitobion avenae in winter wheat

The epidemiology ofSitobion avenae and its natural enemies in winter wheat was studied in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Immigration was important until the end of flowering. The alate immigrants had apterous offspring. These became the driving force in population growth. Their offspring were mostly alatae which usually left the field. A model of the epidemic was developed. Quantitative relations between the aphids and their environment were obtained from literature or established in laboratory trials. The model simulated population development and population composition from the beginning of June till the population peak at the end of June or early in July. Because quantitative data on relations between aphids and their natural enemies and pathogens are scarce, and since the knowledge on wing formation is still limited, the population collapse could not be predicted. In the future, prognosis over a period of three weeks seems possible.Samenvatting De toenemende betekenis van graanbladluizen (vooralSitobion avenae) gepaard gaande met een sterke toename van het gebruik van insecticiden op granen maakte verbetering van de prognose over het schadelijk optreden wenselijk. Door gedetailleerde tellingen in het veld (Fig. 1–7) werden gegevens verkregen over het verloop van de epidemie en het optreden van natuurlijke vijanden in 1975, 1976 en 1977.Een immigratieperiode tot in de bloei kon worden vastgesteld. Daarna lijkt de aantrekkelijkheid van het gewas voor alate luizen te verminderen. De alate immigranten krijgen aptere nakomelingen. Deze vormen de stuwende kracht van de populatiegroei. De nakomelingen van apteren zijn merendeels alaat. Zij verlaten het gewas.Een model van de populatieontwikkeling gedurende de epidemie werd opgesteld. De relatiediagrammen Fig. 9 en 10 laten groei en ontwikkeling vanS. avenae en een predator (Syrphus corollae) zien. Kwantificering van de betrekkingen werd mogelijk door literatuurgegevens en laboratoriumexperimenten.Met het model kon de populatieontwikkeling vanS. avenae vanaf begin juni tot aan de populatiepiek in 1975, 1976 en 1977 vrij goed worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 12). Ook de populatieopbouw kon worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 14). De teruggang van de populatiedichtheid blijkt moeilijker te voorspellen door het ontbreken van gegevens over natuurlijke vijanden.Het lijkt waarschijnlijk dat in de toekomst met het model een prognose over de piek van de bladluispopulatie circa 3 weken tevoren mogelijk zal zijn.     

Tumours of Begonia and some other ornamentals,induced by Corynebacterium fascians

In 1975 many tumours were observed in plants ofBegonia Schwabenland grown in Aalsmeer. Submersion of the roots ofNicotiana megalosiphon seedlings in a homogenate of tumorous tissue, induced tumours after two weeks. Short periods of submergence yielded results similar to those obtained after longer periods. Tumour homogenates lost their infectivity after ten min at 50°C. Aphids transmitted the infectious agent.Treatment with propylene oxide did not inhibit infectivity completely. Filtration through a 450 nm filter removed the infectious agent.Tobacco tumor virus or a viroid could not be isolated. Cultures ofCorynebacterium fascians, isolated from tumours ofN. megalosiphon were highly infectious and induced tumours in healthyN. megalosiphon andBegonia. Tumorous tissue homogenates ofPelargonium zonale, Dahlia sp.,Gladiolus sp., andLilium sp. also caused tumours inN. megalosiphon, from whichC. fascians was isolated. It was not possible to produce tumours inN. megalosiphon with homogenates from roses with symptoms of bud proliferation.Samenvatting In 1975 werden vele tumoren waargenomen inBegonia Schwabenland op Aalsmeerse bedrijven (Fig. 1). De infectiositeit van tumorweefsel kon goed en snel worden vastgesteld door de wortels van zaailingen vanNicotiana megalosiphon in een homogenaat van tumorweefsel te dompelen. Tumoren ontstonden na twee weken, de eindbeoordeling geschiedde na een maand (Fig. 2). Ook verschillende andereNicotiana spp.,Melilotus officinalis (Fig. 3) enPisum odoratum (Fig. 4) werden aangetast.Bij de infectiositeitstoets gaven zeer korte dompeltijden even goede resultaten als langere (Tabel 1). Infectieus sap verloor zijn infectievermogen na 10 min verhitting bij 50°C. Bladluizen brachten de smetstof over. Propyleenoxide verminderde de infectiositeit wel, doch onderdrukte deze niet totaal. Bij filtratie door een 450 nm filter bleef het infectieuse agens op het filter achter. Het tumor-inducerende agens was ook aanwezig in die delen van planten met tumoren welke gezond leken en het ging voor een gering deel over met zaad (Tabel 2).Uit tumoren konden wij geen tabakstumorvirus of een viroïde isoleren. Culturen vanCorynebacterium fascians, geïsoleerd uit tumoren vanN. megalosiphon bleken zeer infectieus en veroorzaakten tumoren inN. megalosiphon enBegonia. Homogenaten van tumorweefsel vanPelargonium zonale, dahlia (Fig. 5), gladiool (Fig. 6) enLilium Mid Century Hybrid Enchantment (Fig. 7) veroorzaakten ook tumoren opN. megalosiphon, waaruitC. fascians werd geïsoleerd. Met sap van kroeskopzieke rozen konden wijN. megalosiphon niet besmetten.     

Nematicidal Activity of Chrysanthemum coronarium

Organic amendments and green manure are potential alternatives to the harmful chemical control means currently used against plant-parasitic nematodes. In this work, Chrysanthemum coronarium was applied to the soil as a green manure to control the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica. Chrysanthemum coronarium significantly reduced nematode infection of tomato roots and improved plant-top fresh weight, both in the greenhouse and in microplots. Other green manures, derived from Anthemis pseudocotula, wild chickpea (Cicer pinnatifidum), Geranium spp. and wheat, were not as effective as C. coronarium. Chrysanthemum coronarium, retained its nematicidal activity even when applied as a dried material. Only mature C. coronarium plants, in their flowering stage, exhibited nematode control activity, but the green plant parts were more effective than the flowers. An aqueous extract of C. coronarium exhibited in vitro, nematostatic activity towards M. incognita and M. javanica second-stage juveniles and inhibited their hatching from eggs and egg-masses; its nematostatic activity was expressed also against other phytonematode species such as Heterodera avenae and Pratylenchus mediterraneus, but did not affect the beneficial entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae.     

Inactivation of soil-borne plant pathogens during small-scale composting of crop residues

Samples of heavily infested crop residues were incorporated in static compost heaps (2.5–4.6 m³) of the Indore type. Temperature increased to 50–70°C within 6 days depending on the type of crop residues used and the location within the heap. The heat phase (>40 °C) lasted 2–3 weeks and was followed by a c. 5-months maturation phase (<40 °c).=" among=" the=" 17=" pathogens=" tested,=">Olpidium brassicae and one of the four formae speciales ofFusarium oxysporum that were tested survived composting, but also their inoculum was greatly reduced.Survival during specific phases of composting was studied by incorporation and retrieval of samples at various stages of the process.F. oxysporum f. sp.melonis was completely inactivated andO. brassicae andPlasmodiophora brassicae were almost completely inactivated during the short heat phase. The three pathogens survived the long-lasting maturation phase without loss of viability. Heat evolved during composting was found to be the most important factor involved with sanitation of crop residues. The possible involvement of fungitoxic conversion products and microbial antagonism is discussed.     

浅黄恩蚜小蜂和丽蚜小蜂对温室白粉虱的寄生潜能分析

浅黄恩蚜小蜂Encarsia sophia GiraultDodd和丽蚜小蜂Encarsia formosa Gahan是防治粉虱类害虫的优势寄生蜂,通过生命表技术方法分析了2种寄生蜂对温室白粉虱Trialeurodes vaporariorum(Westwood)的防治潜能。结果表明,丽蚜小蜂在羽化第3天和第10天出现2次寄生高峰,占其总寄生量的13.7%和8.0%,在2次高峰之间逐日寄生粉虱数量比较平稳,单雌逐日平均产雌数保持在10.6~13.4头,10 d后寄生量呈明显的下降趋势;而浅黄恩蚜小蜂羽化10 d内逐日寄生粉虱量变化不大,单雌逐日产雌数稳定在4.2~5.4头,羽化14 d后寄生量呈明显下降趋势。丽蚜小蜂和浅黄恩蚜小蜂的R0、T、rm、λ值分别为171.5、18.0、0.2854、1.3303和61.6、16.2、0.2544、1.2897;粉虱若虫充足时,丽蚜小蜂平均单雌寄生若虫数是浅黄恩蚜小蜂的2.7倍,而后者平均单雌取食若虫数为60.6头,明显高于前者42.7头,总的来看,丽蚜小蜂通过寄生和取食杀死粉虱总量220.8头,明显高于浅黄恩蚜小蜂的127.9头。表明在应用寄生蜂防治温室白粉虱时,单独释放丽蚜小蜂比浅黄恩蚜小蜂显示出更好的防治潜能。     

Effects of the saprophytic leaf mycoflora on growth and productivity of winter wheat

The effects of the saprophytic mycoflora and its interference with cereal aphids on growth and yield of winter and spring wheat was studied in field experiments in 1980, 1981 and 1982.Yields varied between 5000 and 8000 kg dry matter of kernels per ha. The effect of the saprophytic mycoflora on yield was determined in different treatments: A) no control measures against cereal aphids and saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, B) no control of cereal aphids, control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, C) control of cereal aphids and control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi, D) control of cereal aphids and stimulation of saprophytic mycoflora and E) control of cereal aphids, no control of saprophytic and necrotrophic fungi nor stimulation of saprophytic mycoflora.Considerable differences in top densities of saprophytic mycoflora (10 times as large in A and D as in B and C) were determined. The consequences of these differences for the growth and productivity of wheat were minor. A negative effect of saprophytic mycoflora on the yield could not be detected in 1981 and 1982, whereas a small positive significant effect was found in 1980. This stimulation may have been due to competition between necrotrophic fungal pathogens and saprophytic mycoflora. As a result of favourable weather conditions necrotrophic fungal pathogens were very numerous in 1980 and could form an important yield reducing factor. Yield levels may effect the importance of the necrotrophic and saprophytic mycoflora as yield reducing factors. Additionally, in the presence of aphid honeydew captafol was found to be relatively ineffective against saprophytic fungi.     

Aetiology and causal agents of mango sudden decline disease in the Sultanate of Oman

Mango sudden decline is a recently introduced, economically serious disease in Oman. Affected mango trees have wilting symptoms that usually begin on one side and later spread to involve the entire tree. Trees exude amber-coloured gum from the bark of their trunks or branches and vascular tissues are discoloured. Having entered Oman in the recent past, survey data is presented that shows the disease to have spread throughout the northern part of the country. Evidence is presented that the vascular wilt pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata causes mango sudden decline disease in Oman, possibly in concert with Lasiodiplodia theobromae and the recently described Ceratocystis omanensis. Isolates of these fungi from affected trees, cause infection and can be recovered from inoculated seedlings. Bark beetles (Hypocryphalus mangiferae) are shown to carry C. fimbriata and L. theobromae and are presumably responsible for transmitting both pathogens to healthy mango trees. Acting as a wounding agent and vector, the bark beetle is likely to have assisted the rapid spread of the disease across Oman.     

Relationship Between Production of the Phytotoxin Prehelminthosporol and Virulence in Isolates of the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana

A gas chromatographic method was developed to quantify the phytotoxin prehelminthosporol, which is a sesquiterpene metabolite of the plant pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana. The toxin was extracted from mycelium or culture filtrates, pre-cleaned using solid phase extraction, and analyzed by gas chromatography as a trimethylsilyl-derivative. The detection limit of the method was 5ngl^–1 (signal to noise ratio 4:1) which corresponds to ca. 15ng prehelminthosporol per mg dry weight of mycelium or 15ng prehelminthosporol per ml culture filtrate. The total amount of prehelminthosporol (mycelium plus culture filtrate) increased with cultivation time when examined in six isolates of B. sorokiniana after 6, 9, 12 and 15 days of incubation. The screening experiment of 17 isolates for prehelminthosporol production after 8 days of incubation revealed significant differences in the toxin production between the isolates. The isolates with low toxin production had lower virulence towards barley roots compared to those with higher production of the toxin. However, the virulence did not increase with prehelminthosporol level among the high producing isolates. Prehelminthosporol was also analyzed in a number of related Bipolaris and Drechslera species. In addition to B. sorokiniana, three out of six Bipolaris species (B. setariae, B. zeicola, B. victoriae) produced prehelminthosporol, which indicates that ability to produce prehelminthosporol is conserved among closely-related Bipolaris species.     

Combined effect of generally regarded as safe (GRAS) compounds andTrichoderma harzianum on the control of postharvest diseases of rambutan

Botryodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides andGliocephalotrichum microchlamydosporum are the causal fungi of the rambutan postharvest diseases stem-end rot, anthracnose and brown spot, respectively. Two different treatments of rambutan fruits(Nephelium lappaceum) against the three pathogens were compared: potassium metabisulphite (250 ppm) or cinnamaldehyde (30 ppm), each combined withTrichoderma harzianum (TrH 40). The application of TrH 40 and potassium metabisulphite effectively controlled the incidence and severity of the three postharvest diseases and maintained the overall quality and color of the fruit under low temperature storage at 13.5°C and 95% r.h. for 18 days. The greatest effect of this treatment was shown onG. microchlamydosporum. Cinnamaldehyde affected the growth and germination of TrH 40, whereas potassium metabisulphite did not. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 4, 2001.     

Identification and pathogenicity of Pythium species causing damping-off of kidney bean

Five Pythium species (Pythium irregulare, P. mamillatum, P. myriotylum, P. spinosum and P. ultimum var. ultimum) were isolated from the hypocotyls and roots of kidney bean plants with damping-off from a commercial field and from experimental plots that have undergone either continuous cropping with kidney bean or rotational cropping with arable crops. In inoculation tests, all five Pythium species were pathogenic to kidney bean. This is the first report of damping-off of kidney bean caused by Pythium species; we named this disease damping-off of kidney bean. The nucleotide sequence data reported are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession numbers AB291811, AB291944 and AB291945.