THE EFFECTS OF BENSULIDE ON THE GROWTH, MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF OAT ROOTS

Summary. Oat seedlings were grown by two different methods in various concentrations of bensulide. Root growth was inhibited, the roots were sometimes curved and root hairs were often present close to the root tip. Structural features of the treated roots included epidermal cells which were greatly elongated radially; short, pitied trachcary elements differentiated close to the root tip; and occasional lesions. One of the primary effects of bensulide appears to be inhibition of root growth, though it does not completely inhibit mitosis.     

Colonization of the vegetative stage of rice plants by the false smut fungus Villosiclava virens,as revealed by a combination of species‐specific detection methods

Rice false smut disease caused by the ascomycete fungus Villosiclava virens (Clavicipitaceae) reduces rice yield worldwide. It invades rice panicles and forms dark‐green false smut balls composed of thick‐walled conidia. Although the infection process during the booting stage is well studied, its infection route before this is unclear. It was hypothesized that the thick‐walled conidia in soil penetrate rice roots, and the fungus latently colonizes roots and tiller buds at the vegetative stage. This hypothesis was tested using species‐specific detection methods. First, real‐time PCR with species‐specific primers and probe was used to estimate thick‐walled conidial number in the paddy field soil. Secondly, nested PCR with species‐specific primers showed that fungal DNA was detected in roots and shoot apices of rice plants in the vegetative stage. Thirdly, colourimetric in situ hybridization with a species‐specific oligonucleotide probe targeting 18S rRNA suggested that sparse mycelia or tightly condensed mycelia were present on the external surface of tiller buds enveloped by juvenile leaf sheaths at the vegetative stage. Thin hyphae were found around leaf axils at the surface of elongated stems at the heading stage, and the fungal hyphae grew in the rice root tissues. In addition, it was demonstrated that eGFP‐tagged transformants of the fungus invaded rice roots and colonized the surface of roots and leaf sheaths under artificial conditions.     

Infection process of Stagonosporopsis tanaceti in pyrethrum seed and seedlings

Ray blight disease of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) is caused by Stagonosporopsis tanaceti, with infected seed being a major means of transmission of this fungal pathogen. The infection process of S. tanaceti in pyrethrum seed and seedlings was determined. Infection hyphae only infected the outer and inner layers of the seed coat and not the embryo of naturally infected pyrethrum seed. During the process of germination of infected seed, S. tanaceti from the seed coat infected the developing embryo and cotyledon, resulting in pre‐ and post‐emergence death, depending on the level of infection in the seed coat. Pre‐emergence death occurred due to disintegration of the infected embryo, which was replaced by hyphae and extracellular anthocyanin‐like material (EAM) at 7 days after incubation (dai). Post‐emergence death occurred after both epidermal and cortical tissues of infected cotyledons at the crown/hypocotyl region disintegrated due to colonization by hyphae. Moreover, most of the tissues of the vascular bundles and cortical tissues contained heavy depositions of EAM at 10–14 dai. In 6‐week‐old infected seedlings, hyphae were confined to the epidermis and the cortical tissues at the crown/hypocotyl regions; the vascular bundles of both infected and uninfected regions, and cortical tissues of the uninfected regions of the seedlings were completely free from infection hyphae and EAM. These findings provide a better understanding of the early stages of the disease cycle of S. tanaceti and will lead to improved control measures for seedborne infection using seed treatments.     

Inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth by root-infecting fungi in soil of a rice paddy field

 Rice seedling growth, estimated by plant height and root development and discoloration, was better in pasteurized soil than in unpasteurized soil obtained from a flooded rice field. Rice seedlings also grew better in sterilized soil modified by adding roots harvested from the pasteurized soil than in soil modified by adding roots harvested from the unpasteurized soil. The results demonstrate that seedling growth in the rice field soil was inhibited by soil microorganisms, even though no typical symptoms such as seedling blight or damping-off appeared. Pythium aristosporum is suggested to be involved in the inhibition. Thus, it appears that inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth could occur in soils of rice paddy fields. Received: May 20, 2002 / Accepted: October 16, 2002 Acknowledgments The authors thank Dr. T. Ichitani, former professor at Osaka Prefectural University, for providing an isolate of Pythium aristosporum for comparison, and Mr. Mitsuaki Sato of Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture for technical assistance.     

Uptake and phytotoxicity of chlorsulfuron in Zea mays L. in the presence of 1,8-naphthalic anhydride

The sites of uptake of chlorsulfuron in maize (Zea mays L.) were investigated at three different growth stages. Exposure of seedling roots, or shoots separately, to herbicide-treated sand over 4 days resulted in inhibition of both roots and shoots. Exposure of seedling roots to chlorsulfuron-treated soil over 21 days severely inhibited both roots and foliage, while separate shoot exposure also reduced both foliage and root growth. After plant emergence, exposure of the crown root node, growing point and lower stem to treated soil reduced foliage and root growth, but exposure of the shoot above the growing point caused only slight inhibition of foliage and had no effect on roots. The herbicide safener 1,8-naphthalic anhydride (NA) applied as a dust (10 g kg^?1 seed weight), or as a 50 mg 1^?1 suspension in water to maize seeds, reduced the root inhibition by chlorsulfuron in 4-day-old seedlings. NA completely prevented both foliage and root injury when chlorsulfuron was placed in soil in the shoot zone before emergence, or in the shoot zone below the soil surface after plant emergence. NA slightly decreased injury to foliage, but not to roots when chlorsulfuron was placed in soil in the root zone before emergence. NA seed treatment protected both roots and foliage against injury from foliarly applied chlorsulfuron. Plants were also protected when a suspension of NA in water was sprayed on the foliage seven days before chlorsulfuron. When a mixture of NA and chlorsulfuron was applied to foliage, root injury was reduced more than foliage injury.     

局部高浓度硝酸盐供应对玉米根系 形态及氮累积的影响

以郑单958和鲁单981为研究对象,进行水培分根试验,在正常供水和水分胁迫条件下,分别以均匀低浓度硝酸盐处理主根和种子根(LPR-LSR)、局部高浓度硝酸盐处理主根（HPR-LSR）和局部高浓度硝酸盐处理种子根（LPR-HSR）,测定分析根系形态、生物量以及氮含量。结果表明：与氮低效鲁单981相比,氮高效郑单958具有较高的主根根长、根表面积、根系生物量、地上部生物量和氮累积量。水分胁迫条件下,郑单958和鲁单981的主根的根长、根表面积、根体积、地上部生物量和氮累积量总体上均低于正常水分条件。玉米主根和种子根对局部高浓度硝酸盐的反应存在差异。与均匀低浓度硝酸盐处理相比,局部高浓度硝酸盐处理促进正常水分条件下主根和种子根根系的生长,尤其是根长和根系表面积;在正常水分条件下,主根根长和根系表面积增加幅度范围为6.8%~27.3%和1.9%~21.9%,除HPR-LSR处理条件下的郑单958外,种子根根长和根系表面积增加幅度范围为30.4%~92.7%和10.5%~135.1%;在水分胁迫条件下,主根根长和表面积增加幅度范围为24.6%~152.9%和62.1%~229.9%,然而种子根根长降低了10.0%~29.9%,表明水分胁迫会影响种子根对高浓度硝酸盐的响应。除水分胁迫条件下LPR-HSR处理外,局部高浓度处理可同时增加两侧根系的生物量和氮累积量。无论是正常供水还是水分胁迫,与LPR-LSR处理相比,局部高浓度硝酸盐供应均能够增加地上部生物量以及氮累积量,在LPR-HSR处理条件下,增加幅度范围分别在35.0% ~107.9%和162.9%~291.1%,在HPR-LSR处理条件下分别为56.7%~109.4%和204.1%~377.0%,HPR-LSR处理条件下增加幅度较大,表明在氮素非均匀分布环境中,当主根处于高浓度硝酸盐区域时将会更显著促进生物量的增加和氮累积。     

A case study of infection of rice roots by deleterious fungi and minor pathogenic<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Pythium</Emphasis> species in a paddy field

Roots of rice plants grown in paddy fields in a transplant culture system were collected seven times between 8 and 22 weeks after transplanting, for two crop seasons. Rice seedlings grown in a potting medium amended with the collected roots were significantly shorter than those grown in the same medium either without the addition of the roots or amended with pasteurized, collected roots indicating that seedlings were inhibited by heat-labile microorganisms on the collected rice roots. Ninety-five and 172 pure cultures of Pythium spp. and fungi, respectively, were isolated from the rice roots collected 5 or 7.5 weeks after transplanting in the fields. Among these microorganisms, Pythium aristosporum inhibited seedling growth in greenhouse experiments, and Acremonium sp., Alternaria sp., Epicoccum nigrum, Fusarium sp., Massarina sp., Penicillium spp., Rhinocladiella sp., Stemphylium sp., Trichocladium sp., and several unidentified fungi inhibited seminal root growth in in vitro experiments. These microorganisms might be involved in the inhibition of seedling growth in soils amended with the rice roots collected from the paddy field. Thus, roots of rice plants at the middle stage of growth transplanted into paddy fields can harbor pathogenic or deleterious fungi or Pythium sp(p). The effects of these microorganisms on rice growth in paddy fields are discussed.     

A Monitoring System for Green Fluorescence Protein Gene-transformed Fusarium oxysporum in Melon Seedlings

Using melon seedlings at the cotyledon stage and genetically marked fungi, a system for monitoring pathogenic and nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum was devised in the present study. Protoplasts were prepared from three formae speciales (melonis, radicis-lycopersici and fragariae )of F. oxysporum and transformed with a synthetic gene for green fluorescence protein. Transformants were primarily isolated in the presence of hygromycin B and then screened by the emission of bright green fluorescence. Roots of melon seedlings were inoculated with fluorescing microconidia of these fungi, and fungal infection behavior was traced. Using fluorescence microscopy, we directly observed not only the fungus at the root surface, but also the mycelia elongating in the trachea of roots. Both pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungi germinated and hyphae elongated superficially on the surface of root. Only pathogenic fungi caused root necrosis at the inoculation site. Hyphae grew within the stem to induce constriction or cracking of lower hypocotyls, then causing wilting of the seedlings. Infection behavior of genetically marked pathogenic and nonpathogenic F. oxysporum could be successfully monitored after inoculation of cotyledons of seedlings. Received 6 June 2001/ Accepted in revised form 3 August 2001     

Deleterious effects of fungi isolated from paddy soils on seminal root of rice

Soil samples were collected from rice paddies at 22 locations in northeastern Honshu, Japan. In 20 of the samples, seedling growth of rice was improved by soil pasteurization (aerated steaming at 60°C for 30 min), although no typical disease symptoms were observed in the seedlings grown in the untreated soil samples. In most locations, rice seedlings grew better in a potting medium containing root material from plants grown in the pasteurized portion of a soil sample than in a medium with root material from plants grown in the unpasteurized portion of the same sample. The results suggest that microorganisms that restrained rice seedling growth may be common in the soils of rice paddies. Approximately 800 isolates were obtained from seedling roots grown in unpasteurized soils and grouped by cultural and microscopic morphologies. The deleterious effects of 79 isolates from 21 major groups, most of which were soil-dwelling taxa, were examined after direct inoculation of the seminal roots. Isolates of Curvularia sp., Cirrenalia sp., Eppicoccum nigrum, Fusarium graminearum, F. oxysporum, Gliocladium virens, Humicola sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizoctonia oryzae-sativae, Sclerotium hydrophilum, Trichoderma aureoviride, and T. harzianum inhibited root growth, suggesting that deleterious root-infecting fungi were more common in paddy soil than previously thought. These fungi may be involved in the restraint of rice seedling growth.     

Infection of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) seedlings with Pythium irregulare Buism. and Pythium ultimum Trow.: histological and biochemical responses

We have studied the reaction of Picea abies seedlings to infection with Pythium. The highly virulent species Pythium ultimum and the less virulent species Pythium irregulare germinated on the root and hypocotyl surface, formed appressoria and penetrated through the stomata as well as through the epidermis. No major differences in the growth of both fungal species were observed during the early events of colonization. The less virulent species formed about 25% more appressoria suggesting that the fungus experienced difficulties with penetration. Differences were observed in the response of the host plant to infection. Autofluorescence, possibly related to deposition of lignin or lignin-like materials increased more in cortical and endodermal tissue colonized with the highly virulent P. ultimum than with the less virulent P. irregulare. Chitinase activity was highest in the tissues most extensively colonized by the fungus. In addition, a systemic increase of chitinase activity was also detected. Interestingly, chitinase activity increased systemically in cotyledons which were never in contact with the pathogen, indicating the translocation of a systemic signal. Salicylic acid was also detected in spruce seedlings; its level increased in roots during infection with the less virulent P. irregulare.     

Optimal root system strategies for desert phreatophytic seedlings in the search for groundwater

Desert phreatophytes are greatly dependent on groundwater, but how their root systems adapt to different groundwater depths is poorly understood. In the present study, shoot and root growths of Alhagi sparsifolia Shap. seedlings were studied across a gradient of groundwater depths. Leaves, stems and roots of different orders were measured after 120 days of different groundwater treatments. Results indicated that the depth of soil wetting front and the vertical distribution of soil water contents were highly controlled by groundwater depths. The shoot growth and biomass of A. sparsifolia decreased, but the root growth and rooting depth increased under deeper groundwater conditions. The higher ratios of root biomass, root/shoot and root length/leaf area under deeper groundwater conditions implied that seedlings of A. sparsifolia economized carbon cost on their shoot growths. The roots of A. sparsifolia distributed evenly around the soil wetting fronts under deeper groundwater conditions. Root diameters and root lengths of all orders were correlated with soil water availabilities both within and among treatments. Seedlings of A. sparsifolia produced finer first- and second-order roots but larger third- and fourth-order roots in dry soils. The results demonstrated that the root systems of desert phreatophytes can be optimized to acquire groundwater resources and maximize seedling growth by balancing the costs of carbon gain.     

玉米、高粱幼苗丝黑穗病菌的侵染部位研究

 应用幼苗分器官涂抹接种的方法,对玉米两个高感自交系进行了丝黑穗病菌侵染部位的精确测定。三年结果一致表明,侵染以胚芽为主,根为次要。在胚芽上,中胚轴的侵染高于胚芽鞘。在根系中,各种根均能侵染,其中以胚根的感染度稍高,但各种不定根和侧根的数量众多,因此在侵染上仍占相当比重。分生区为各器官的有效侵染点,中胚轴的分生区在紧邻胚芽鞘节下,胚芽鞘和中胚轴的相继反复感染,可以导致很高的发病率。出土前的幼龄植株为主要感染阶段,因而决定根系在总体侵染中不居主要地位。扩大对不同抗性的四个自交系和四个单交种作进一步的测定表明,主要侵染器官及其主次关系在不同品种上基本保持与上述高感自交系相同的趋势。     

Uptake and translocation of some pesticides by hypocotyls of radish seedlings

Some of the factors affecting absorption and translocation of pesticides by the hypocotyls of intact radish (Raphanus sativus, L., cv. Black Spanish) seedlings have been studied, particular attention being given to the triazine herbicides simazine, atrazine and atraton. Uptake and translocation appear to be largely passive processes and by contrast with foliar absorption seem to be unaffected by humidity, con-centration, light and by the aqueous solubilities of the compounds. Diffusion across the tissues of the hypocotyl, rather than rate of transpiration, appears to determine the rate at which atrazine and simazine are translocated to the cotyledons. For several pesticides there is a qualitative relationship between the percentages of the compounds translocated to the upper portion of the shoots and their partition coefficients in oil/water systems. In conclusion, some consideration is given to the relative importance of uptake by roots and shoots under field conditions.     

Aerial seed germination and morphological characteristics of juvenile seedlings in Commelina benghalensis L.

Seed germination, seedling emergence, and the morphological characteristics of juvenile seedlings of Commelina benghalensis L. were observed. For aerial seeds collected in September and October, seedling emergence peaked in April and June for large seeds and from June to August for small seeds, whereas seedling emergence for large seeds collected in November showed peaks in March and April under natural rainfall conditions, and in April and June under irrigation conditions. Seedlings from small seeds emerged intermittently over a longer period from April to August under both conditions. Aerial seeds of C. benghalensis germinated on wet filter paper on the second day after seeding (DAS) for large seeds and the fourth DAS for small seeds. The germination percentage for large seeds was higher than that for small seeds by the 14th DAS. The germination percentage for large aerial seeds showed no significant difference between light and dark conditions. However, the percentage for small aerial seeds was higher under light than under dark conditions. Seedlings from large aerial seeds emerged on the third DAS at 0–50 mm soil depths. The percentage of emergence at 0 and 1 mm soil depths increased until the 30th DAS, whereas those at soil depths of 5–50 mm showed no change after the 9th DAS. There was no emergence at a soil depth of 100 mm. Seedlings from small aerial seeds emerged on the 6th DAS at 0–1 mm soil depths, with the percentage increasing until the 30th DAS. Although seedlings at 5 and 10 mm soil depths also emerged on the 6th DAS, there was no change in the percentage after the 12th DAS. There was no emergence at soil depths of 20–100 mm. The hypocotyl and taenia (part of the cotyledon connected to the seed) in juvenile seedlings that emerged from soil depths of 50 mm were longer than those in seedlings emerging from a soil depth of 1 mm.     

Possible Root Infection of Cercospora beticola in Sugar Beet

A potential primary infection site of the foliar pathogen Cercospora beticola in sugar beet is described. Sugar beet seedlings of the susceptible cv. Auris were grown in a standard soil for 14 days. A monoconidial culture of a C. beticola isolate was grown to produce conidia. In experiment 1, roots were immersed in a conidial suspension of isolate code IRS 00-4, or in tap water (control), for 2 days. After incubation seedlings were potted in a peat – fine river sand mixture and placed at low relative humidity (RH) (<80%) or high RH (100%). Twelve days after infection, seedlings at high RH showed more disease incidence (90%) than seedlings grown at low RH (disease incidence = 25%), whereas no disease symptoms developed in the control seedlings. Cercospora leaf spots (CLSs) developed on the cotyledons, leaves, petioles and stems of the seedlings. In experiment 2, roots were immersed in a conidial suspension of isolate code IRS 00-2 for 5 h. Thirty-four days after infection at high RH, 100% disease incidence was observed in the treated seedlings and one CLS in the control treatment. First indications of leaf spot development were observed as reddish purple discolouration of individual parenchymatic cells. Because splash dispersal and symptoms due to infested soil were excluded, we showed that it is possible to obtain CLS symptoms in sugar beet seedlings when their roots were immersed in conidial suspensions of C. beticola, thus demonstrating that roots can be a primary infection site.     

Effect of invasion by cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenue) on the growth and development of the seminal roots of oats and barley

The effect of juvenile cereal cyst nematodes (Heterodera avenae) on the root growth of oat and barley seedlings was tested in three pot experiments. Invasion by juveniles hindered the extension of the seminal root axes of both cereals; after invasion, axes took 2–3 days to attain normal rates of extension. This response was found in susceptible and resistant cultivars. When oats and barley were exposed to continued invasion over 9 days, barley produced a larger root system than oats and was less stunted by nematode invasion. The density of nematodes per unit of root was less in barley than in oats. The effects on root growth were similar to reported responses of roots to mechanical damage.     

疏叶骆驼刺幼苗根系生态学特性对水分处理的响应

通过人工壕沟挖掘法,对疏叶骆驼刺幼苗在不同水分条件下的根系生态学特性的季节变化进行研究.结果表明:①在土壤水分较好的环境中,疏叶骆驼刺幼苗大量拓展水平根,并产生分蘖植株竞争光照资源;而在土壤水分相对缺乏时垂直根系发达,向深层土壤拓展资源空间.根系形态的可塑性是疏叶骆驼刺幼苗获取水分适应干旱环境的重要策略之一.②根冠比随土壤水分的减少而增加,且在生长季后期这种趋势更加明显,增加根冠比是疏叶骆驼刺幼苗适应干旱的策略之一.③幼苗根系的扎根深度和垂直生长速度随着土壤水分的减少而增加.④根系生物量、根系表面积随土壤深度的增加而减小,并在垂直剖面上呈倒金字塔状分布.根系生物量形成过程符合Logistic"慢-快-慢"的S型生长曲线,总生物量随着土壤干旱程度的增加而降低.     

Seasonal changes in the germination of buried seeds of Monochoria vaginalis

This study investigates the seasonal variation of germination ability of buried seeds of Monochoria vaginalis (Burm.f.) Presl var. plantaginea Solms. The field-collected seeds were buried in a flooded or an upland field and then exhumed monthly. The exhumed seeds were germinated under four temperature regimes. The seeds exhumed from the flooded soil were dormant at the beginning of burial and proceeded into a conditional dormancy/non-dormancy/conditional dormancy cycle throughout the remaining period of the experiment. The seeds exhumed monthly from the non-flooded soil exhibited an annual dormant cycle, which is dormancy/conditional dormancy/non-dormancy/conditional dormancy/dormancy. At day and night temperatures of 25/20 °C, the exhumed seeds from both the flooded and the upland soil resembled each other in terms of seasonal variation of the germination percentage. In September and October, more seeds exhumed from upland soil failed to germinate under higher temperature than from flooded soil. Strictly avoiding exposure to light during seed exhuming and seed testing prevented the seeds from germinating. A short exposure of the exhumed seeds to light during preparation promoted dark germination when the seeds were at the non-dormant stage. The potential implications of our results for weed management strategies in rice production are discussed.     

Allelopathic potential of wild onion (Asphodelus tenuifolius) on the germination and seedling growth of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

Water extracts obtained from the roots, shoots, and fruits of mature wild onion ( Asphodelus tenuifolius ) plants and soil taken from an A. tenuifolius field were used to determine their allelopathic effects on the germination and seedling growth of chickpea ( Cicer arietinum ) in the laboratory. The roots, shoots, and fruits of A. tenuifolius were soaked individually in water in a ratio of 1:20 (w/v) for 24 h to prepare the extracts. Distilled water was used as the control. The germinated seeds were taken out from the Petri dishes and counted every day for 12 days. The seeds of chickpea were also sown in sand and in each of the controlled, normal soil and the soil taken from the A. tenuifolius -infested field in Petri dishes to record the length and weight of the roots and shoots 18 days after sowing. The mean germination time reached the maximum amount for the stem and fruit extracts. The fruit extract caused the most reduction in the germination index and the germination percentage of chickpea. The different wild onion organ extracts significantly reduced the root and shoot length and biomass of the chickpea seedlings compared with the distilled water. The fruit extract of wild onion proved to be the most detrimental to the root length, shoot length, and dry weight of the chickpea seedlings. The soil beneath the A. tenuifolius plants significantly reduced the emergence, root length, shoot length, shoot dry weight, and seedling dry weight but increased the root dry weight of the chickpea seedlings. It is suggested that A. tenuifolius releases phytotoxic compound(s).     

磁化水对不同土壤水分下黄瓜幼苗生长、光合和养分吸收的影响

采用二因素二水平完全试验设计,研究了砂培条件下磁化处理（分别为0.3T磁场强度处理的磁化蒸馏水和蒸馏水处理）对不同土壤水分条件下（正常水分处理：田间持水量的80%~85%;干旱处理：田间持水量的40%~45%,于黄瓜4~5叶期维持7 d）黄瓜幼苗生长、水分关系、光合作用和养分吸收的影响。结果表明,磁化水浇灌显著降低黄瓜幼苗的生长和水分利用,其中茎粗、地上部生物量、根生物量、总生物量、根体积、根表面积、整株耗水量和整株水分利用效率分别降低6.7%、8.9%、19.1%、9.9%、22.1%、18.5%、6.2%和10.9%;磁化水浇灌导致黄瓜幼苗叶SPAD值降低了3.7%,叶气孔导度和蒸腾速率则分别增加了21.8%和17.5%,叶瞬时水分利用效率降低了17.7%,但对净光合速率影响不大;磁化水浇灌使PSII最大光化学效率和电子传递速率分别降低了5.2%和18.6%,同时增加叶片中K含量。除叶片K含量外,干旱条件下磁化水对黄瓜生长和生理代谢影响不大,表明磁化水的作用依赖于土壤水分条件。