接种蚯蚓和食细菌线虫对红壤性状及花生产量的影响

通过温室花生盆栽试验研究了接种有益土壤动物(蚯蚓和食细菌线虫)对旱地红壤生物学性质(微生物生物量碳氮、基础呼吸、微生物熵、脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性)、土壤速效养分(碱解氮和速效磷)及花生产量的影响.试验包含4个处理:不接种处理(CK)、仅接种蚯蚓(E)、仅接种食细菌线虫(N)、联合接种蚯蚓和食细菌线虫(EN).结果表明:①蚯蚓和食细菌线虫均提高了土壤微生物生物量碳氮的含量,线虫对微生物生物量碳的贡献大于蚯蚓.②除花生成熟期的接种蚯蚓处理外,接种蚯蚓和食细菌线虫后土壤基础呼吸均有所增加,且食细菌线虫的影响也大于蚯蚓.③除花生结荚期无显著性差异外,蚯蚓和食细菌线虫均极显著提高了土壤脲酶和酸性磷酸酶活性(P＜0.05).④蚯蚓和食细菌线虫均能增加土壤速效磷和碱解氮含量.⑤接种蚯蚓和食细菌线虫后花生产量的增幅为17％～ 20％.总之,在4个花生生长时期,相对于不接种的对照处理,接种蚯蚓和食细菌线虫能明显改善红壤性状并最终提高花生产量.     

木糖氧化无色杆菌反硝化亚种细菌的分离鉴定及其菲降解特性研究

利用选择性富集培养及升华法,从石油污染的土壤中分离到2株菲降解细菌,它们在以菲为唯一碳源的培养基上生长良好。应用BIOLOG细菌鉴定系统和分子生物学方法对两株细菌进行鉴定,两株菌分别为坚强芽孢杆菌(Bacillus.firmus)和木糖氧化无色杆菌反硝化亚种(Achromobacter.xylosoxidanssub.sp.denitrificans),两株菌均具有邻苯二酚氧化酶活性。两株细菌在液体培养条件下都表现较强降解菲的能力,液体培养60.h约90%的加入菲被降解。通过测定液体培养基中菲浓度和菌体密度变化发现,菌株降解菲的量与其生长密度相关;随着菌体浓度(吸光度)的增加,代谢底物菲的浓度明显降低,两株菌混合使用能够大幅度提高降解菲的能力。     

菲降解菌的分离鉴定及其在污染土壤生物修复中的应用

采用室内培养方法,从吴江市郊长期被多环芳烃污染的土壤中富集到以菲为唯一碳源和能源的菲降解复合微生物菌群,复合菌群在7d内对无机盐液体中菲（含量100mg·L^-1）的降解率达到99%。从复合菌群中分离纯化获得两株菲高效降解菌B1和L2,经过菌体形态特征、生理生化特征和16SrDNA序列分析,鉴定菌株B1为百日咳博行特氏菌（Bordetella petrii）,菌株L2为墨西哥假黄单胞菌（Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana）。这两株菌在菲含量为100mg·L^-1的无机盐培养液中,7d内对菲（含量100mg·L^-1）的降解率大约为80%,9d内的降解率可达到99%。将复合菌群和菲污染土壤混合,在光照培养箱中进行培养修复。结果表明,修复88d后,接种复合菌群的低污染浓度（8.22mg·kg^-1）处理和高污染浓度（39.65mg·kg^-1）处理的菲去除率分别达到95.74%和98.06%。     

促生荧光假单胞菌对桃树根区土壤环境和植株生长的影响

  【目的】  探究荧光假单胞菌(Pseudomonas fluorescens)的促生特性及其对桃树根区土壤环境和桃树生长的影响,明确荧光假单胞菌在桃树根系–土壤微生态系统中的作用机制,为荧光假单胞菌在桃园的应用提供理论依据。  【方法】  采用不同固体培养及液体发酵试验鉴定荧光假单胞菌的促生特性。以1年生盆栽毛桃[Prunus persica (L.) Batsch]实生苗为试材进行预备试验,确定了荧光假单胞菌悬液的适宜施用浓度为4×108 CFU/mL。以2年生‘瑞光39/毛桃’ [P. persica (L.) Batsch]嫁接苗为试材进行盆栽试验,试验设土施荧光假单胞菌悬液(4×108 CFU/mL) (PF)和清水对照(CK) 2个处理,在处理后1、2、4、6周,采集桃树根区土壤样品,测定荧光假单胞菌数量;在处理后40天采集根区土壤样品测定土壤微生物结构、酶活性、养分状况和pH。在处理后20、40天取植株样进行光合指标、生物量、根系生长发育的测定。  【结果】  1)荧光假单胞菌具有以下促生特性:吲哚-3-乙酸(IAA)产量为6.17 mg/L,溶无机磷和有机磷量分别为45.98和18.52 mg/L,产铁载体和具有解钾能力。2)与对照相比,PF处理提高了桃树嫁接苗根区土壤细菌和真菌群落的Chao 1和Shannon指数,其中土壤真菌群落的Chao 1和Shannon指数分别显著提高了28.5%和8.5% (P<0.05);改变了土壤微生物群落结构,其中土壤细菌变形菌门、酸杆菌门和放线菌门相对丰度分别提高了23.4%、8.6%和8.0%,拟杆菌门和厚壁菌门相对丰度分别降低了46.7%和35.7%。与CK相比,PF处理根区土壤pH降低了0.19,土壤速效磷、碱解氮、速效钾和有效态铁含量分别显著提高了42.3%、15.9%、39.5%和6.6% (P<0.05);土壤脲酶、蔗糖酶、碱性磷酸酶和过氧化氢酶活性分别显著提高了4.3%、37.6%、34.2%和40.2% (P<0.05);根系表面积和体积分别显著提高了67.3%和21.3% (P<0.05),增加了侧根数量。与CK相比,PF处理显著提高了桃树叶片的净光合速率,叶片和根系的全氮、全磷和全钾含量,并使桃树叶片的全铁含量提高了26.0%,使桃树株高、地下部和地上部干重分别显著提高了14.8%、19.3%和19.9% (P<0.05)。  【结论】  荧光假单胞菌具有产IAA和铁载体,溶解无机磷和有机磷,降解难溶性钾的促生特性。土壤施用荧光假单胞菌悬液可以显著改善根区土壤环境,增加土壤微生物群落多样性,改变土壤微生物群落结构,降低土壤pH,提高土壤养分含量和土壤酶活性,从而促进桃树嫁接苗侧根的形成和生长,提高叶片净光合速率和养分含量,进而促进桃树生长。     

红树植物秋茄对菲污染沉积物的根际修复研究

利用盆栽试验方法,研究了红树植物秋茄（Kandelia cande（lL.） Druce）对多环芳烃菲污染沉积物的修复作用。结果表明,在5、10、20、40mg·kg^-1菲处理浓度下,菲对秋茄的生长具有抑制作用,沉积物中菲初始浓度越高抑制作用越明显。4个月的修复试验结果表明,与无植物对照相比,种植秋茄能够明显促进沉积物中菲的降解。根际沉积物中菲的去除率为69%-82%,而非根际沉积物中菲的去除率为59%-66.9%。相同污染水平处理下根际沉积物中菲残留浓度低于非根际沉积物,而菲降解菌数量、多酚氧化酶和脱氢酶活性高于非根际沉积物,从而提高了沉积物中菲的降解率。     

污染土壤中菲高效降解菌的筛选及其降解特性

运用恒温培养法研究了菲在不同土壤中的降解动态,结果表明未灭菌土壤中菲半衰期仅5.1d,而灭菌土壤中半衰期为前者4倍,可见土壤微生物发挥了重要作用;从试验土壤中分离到一株菲高效降解菌,经16SrDNA鉴定为产碱杆菌;优势菌最高可以耐受500mgL-1左右的菲,降解菲的最适温度25℃和pH为7,土壤接种优势菌后有助于加快菲的降解;从该优势菌中提取的粗酶液米氏常数为50.30nmolml-1,最大降解速率为171.33nmolmg-1min-1。     

两种土著食细菌线虫对五种细菌的取食偏好及相关机制

食细菌线虫通过取食细菌改变土壤微生物的活性和群落结构从而影响土壤生态系统功能,而食细菌线虫取食细菌存在选择偏好。本试验通过设置"自助餐"式平板培养试验,研究了2种土著食细菌线虫(拟丽突属线虫和中杆属线虫)对5种细菌的活菌体、灭活菌体及菌体分泌物的取食偏好,以为进一步揭示土壤生态系统中食细菌线虫与细菌相互作用关系奠定基础。研究结果显示:拟丽突属和中杆属线虫对活菌体的取食偏好基本一致,均对G-菌具有偏好,其偏好顺序为:荧光假单胞菌大肠杆菌贪噬菌解淀粉芽孢杆菌巨大芽孢杆菌。拟丽突属线虫对5种细菌分泌物的辨识和取食不存在选择性偏好,从而使其对活菌体及灭活菌体的取食偏好顺序基本一致;而中杆属线虫对活菌体及灭活菌体的取食偏好存在显著差异,这可能与中杆属线虫对5种细菌分泌物的辨识和取食具有选择性偏好有关。细菌分泌物对中杆属线虫的取食偏好机制还有待进一步研究。     

菲在黑麦草种植土壤中的降解及其对土壤酶的影响

研究了种植黑麦草对土壤中3环多环芳烃菲的动态降解作用。结果表明,黑麦草可以促进土壤中菲的降解,在75 d的盆栽试验里,种植黑麦草土壤中菲的可提取浓度明显低于不种植土壤（p<0.05）。在菲浓度为5 mg kg^-1、50 mg kg^-1、200 mg kg^-1的3种处理中,种植黑麦草壤中菲的降解率分别为81.07%、90.35%、84.94%,而不种植土壤中菲的降解率分别为75.34%、86.62%、67.60%。种植黑麦草增强了土壤中多酚氧化酶、脱氢酶和过氧化氢酶的活性以及增加土壤中微生物生物量碳的含量,即提高了土壤中生物活性,从而促进了土壤中菲的降解率。不同浓度菲处理,土壤中生物活性存在明显差异,高浓度菲(200 mg kg^-1)对土壤中生物活性产生较强的抑制作用,影响土壤中生物对菲的降解作用,从而揭示了植物促进菲降解的生物学及酶学机理。黑麦草对土壤中多环芳烃有较强的忍耐性,但过高的菲浓度对黑麦草的生长有影响。     

连作番茄根区病土对番茄生长及土壤线虫与微生物的影响

探索连作番茄根区病土对番茄根结线虫病的诱导效果及引起连作障碍的微生态机制,可为深入了解番茄连作障碍发生机理及探究番茄连作障碍防治方法提供科学依据。本研究利用盆栽试验,测定了番茄在健康土壤及接种病土土壤中生物学特性变化及根结线虫侵染状况,并分析鉴定了土壤中微生物及线虫的种类与数量。结果表明,接种连作番茄根结线虫病株根区病土会对番茄生长及根结线虫侵染产生影响:1)番茄苗期根系根结数达9个?株~(-1),健康土壤无根结;土壤线虫数量较健康土壤增加390.4%;收获期番茄根结线虫侵染率达62.7%,病情指数为80.0%。2)番茄生长受到抑制,叶片防御酶活性降低,收获期茎叶及根系鲜质量较健康土壤分别减少50.2%及33.1%,苗期番茄叶片PPO活性较健康土壤降低15.8%,POD活性较健康土壤增加24.0%,差异均达显著水平(P0.05)。3)番茄根系更易感染有害菌,根系内病原菌甘蓝假单胞菌数量较健康土壤增加463倍,根区土壤细菌、真菌及放线菌总数分别增加46.3%、94.5%及134.0%。4)食细菌线虫、食真菌线虫及植物寄生性线虫数量分别为健康根区土壤的3.3倍、1.6倍及7.3倍,其中的植物寄生线虫95.6%为根结线虫。综上所述,接入连作番茄根结线虫病株根区病土不仅导致番茄遭受根结线虫侵染,而且会导致土壤线虫总量及植物寄生线虫所占比例大幅增加,并使番茄根系内有害细菌数量显著增加,对番茄生长造成显著抑制作用,同时影响番茄的生理生化特性,受线虫侵染番茄防御性酶活性降低,使其更易被根结线虫及病原菌侵染,番茄根区土壤线虫、微生物及根系内优势细菌的种类与数量及其之间的作用发生改变。     

接种丛枝菌根真菌的种植紫花苜蓿土壤中球囊霉素含量与PAHs去除的关系

以菲和芘为多环芳烃(PAHs)代表物,以紫花苜蓿(Medicago sativa L.)为宿主植物,选用幼套球囊霉(Glomus etunicatum,Ge)、摩西球囊霉(Glomus mosseae,Gm)和层状球囊霉(Glomus lamellosum,Gla)3种丛枝菌根真菌(AMF),研究了接种AMF下土壤中AMF菌丝密度、球囊霉素含量与PAHs去除率的关系。35~75 d,接种Ge、Gm、Gla处理的土壤中菌丝密度、总球囊霉素含量、易提取球囊霉素含量均随时间延长而显著增大,与不接种对照相比,75 d时接种Ge、Gm、Gla处理的土壤中易提取球囊霉素含量提高了48.58%、55.99%和50.23%,总球囊霉素含量则提高了38.75%、50.95%和46.12%。接种AMF促进了土壤中菲和芘的去除,随着时间(35~75 d)延长,接种Ge、Gm、Gla处理的土壤中菲去除率分别高达83.4%~92.7%、82.1%~93.8%、86.9%~93.4%,芘去除率达42.2%~63.5%、43.7%~69.2%、44.6%~66.4%。接种Ge、Gm和Gla处理土壤中AMF菌丝密度、总球囊霉素含量均与土壤中菲和芘的去除率之间存在极显著正相关关系,表明接种AMF提高了土壤中AMF菌丝密度和总球囊霉素含量,并促进了土壤中PAHs的去除。研究结果为阐明丛枝菌根修复PAHs污染土壤的规律及机理提供了依据。     

“绿色革命”以来大气CO2浓度升高对C3作物营养品质的影响

自20世纪60年代"绿色革命"以来,育种技术和农耕技术的发展促进了农作物产量的大幅提升,然而作物的营养品质出现下降趋势。在相似的遗传背景下,大气CO_2浓度升高会使单位体积农作物产品的营养元素含量下降,因此"绿色革命"至今,农作物产品的营养元素下降可能受大气CO_2浓度升高影响。通过植物生长箱模拟"绿色革命"初期和目前的大气CO_2浓度水平(310μmol/mol和400μmol/mol),针对主要C_3作物水稻、小麦和大豆,研究"绿色革命"以来大气CO_2浓度升高对其籽粒的C、N、Fe、Zn元素含量的影响,结果表明:CO_2浓度升高对3种作物籽粒的C元素含量几乎没有影响,变化幅度在±1.5%之间;籽粒的N、Fe、Zn元素含量普遍呈现下降趋势,但均未达到显著水平。     

Potential of wild species for genetic enhancement of some semi-arid food crops

Discovery and incorporation of genes from wild species provide means to sustain crop improvement, particularly when levels of resistance in the cultigens are low and virulent strains of pests and pathogens overcome the host plant resistance. The extent of utilization and the potential of the wild genepool for genetic enhancement were reviewed in five important food crops viz. sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut grown in the semi-arid tropics. Introgression from compatible wild germplasm in the primary gene pool resulted in transfer of new cytoplasmic male sterility systems in pearl millet and pigeonpea, development of high protein, cleistogamous flower and dwarf pigeonpea lines and foliar disease resistant groundnut cultivars. Utilization of wild species in secondary and tertiary gene pools has been generally limited due to sterility, restricted recombination or cross incompatibility. Nevertheless, these species are extremely important as they contain high levels of resistance to several important biotic and abiotic stresses. Several of them, like those belonging to the Parasorghum section and the rhizomatous Arachis species are sources of multiple resistances and hold great promise to sustain crop productivity.     

Faculty positions:Center for Agricultural Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences

正The Center for Agricultural Resources Research(CARR),the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology(IGDB),Chinese Academy of Sciences,invites applicants for several research group leader positions.CARR is one of the research organizations in Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS).We seek nominations and applications     

Soil-profile distribution of primary and secondary plant-available nutrients under conventional and no tillage

Nutrient distributions under no tillage (NT) compared with conventional disk-and-bed tillage (CT) management in the warm, humid region of the southeastern USA need to be assessed so that future placement, quantity, and type of fertilizers can be altered, if necessary, to efficiently match crop demands. We determined soil-profile distributions of pH, N, P, S, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu to a depth of 0.9 m at the end of 8.5 years of continuous CT and NT management on a Weswood silty clay loam (fine, mixed, thermic Fluventic Ustochrept) in southcentral Texas. Most dramatic changes occurred within the 0–0.05 m depth, where soil under NT had lower pH, Fe, and Cu than under CT, but greater P, K, Zn, and Mn. Greater P and K under NT than under CT also occurred below the till-zone (0.15–0.3 m). At a depth of 0–0.3 m, soil under NT contained greater amounts of extractable P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu than under CT. Nitrogen fertilization had little effect on nutrient distributions, except resulting in greater extractable K at 0–0.05 m and greater nitrate at 0–0.15 m. Few changes in soil-profile distributions were observed for extractable S, Ca, Mg, and Na. Long-term continuous use of NT on this fine-textured, high-fertility (except for N) soil had no apparent adverse effects on nutrient distributions relative to CT, but enhanced conservation and availability of P, K, Zn, Fe, Mn, and Cu near the soil surface where crop roots proliferate.     

Assessing the effectiveness of conservation measures: Resolving the “wicked” problem of the Steller sea lion

“Wicked” problems are those that are complex and that change when solutions are applied. Many conflicts in conservation fall into this category. The study approached the problem of how to constrain the apparent wickedness of a problem in the conservation management of a species by using simple empirical indicators to carry out iterative assessment of the risk to a population and to document how this risk evolves in relation to the addition of new data and the implementation of management actions. Effects of high levels of uncertainty within data and also concerning population structure were examined through stochastic simulation and by exploration of scenarios. Historical trends in the example used, the Steller sea lion, showed rapid declines in abundance in some regions during the 1980s. The current total population is 130,000-150,000 Steller sea lions through Alaska and British Columbia and this number has been stable since about 1990 in spite of regional differences in population dynamics. Regional differences in the sequence of changes in the number of pups and non-pups, suggested that an internal re-distribution of juveniles could have happened between 1980 and 1990. Current productivity also appears close to the long-term mean. Stochastic population projection using various scenarios showed that, based upon this history, the risk of extinction for the population has declined and is below reasonable thresholds for considering the population to be endangered. The trends in risk suggest that management actions taken since 1990 have probably been effective. Consequently, the conservation management objectives for the Steller sea lion are probably being met. The approach provides a mechanism, based upon experience and scenario analysis, for exploring future policy options and may help to constrain the debate amongst stakeholders about the cost-benefit trade-offs associated with different options.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of native turfgrass accessions in Italy

Despite a raising interest on turfs in Italy, all theavailable varieties of this kind in the Country are of foreign origin, and areoften poorly adapted to the prevailing climatic conditions. This prompted tobegin a collection activity of indigenous turfgrass species, with the ultimategoal of identifying promising materials for future breeding based on localgenetic resources. The collection was carried out in three areas of Italy, viz.the northern Po Plain, the coastal region of Liguria, and the island of Sardiniathat are characterised, respectively, by subcontinental, warm temperate, andtypical Mediterranean climate. Altogether, 141 sites were visited, yielding 226accessions belonging to eight species of potential interest for turfs:Poa pratensis, Poa trivialis,Festuca rubra, Festuca arundinacea,Lolium perenne, Agrostis stolonifera,Agrostis tenuis, and Cynodon dactylon,this last being a warm-season grass. Poa pratensis andCynodon dactylon were mostly collected in northern Italyand Sardinia, respectively, whereas Festuca arundinacea andLolium perenne were rather ubiquitous. The collection sitesranged from 0 to 1040 m asl, but sites over 750 m wereonly visited in the inner part of Sardinia. All the accessions, collected aswhole plants, were transplanted at Lodi, northern Italy, where they are beingevaluated. Their preliminary evaluation for traits of importance for turf use,such as sward colour and overall quality, highlighted the great variation andthe occurrence of interesting accessions in all species. Other characters wererecorded, bearing specific importance in individual species, and in all casespromising accessions were identified. The germplasm of Festucarubra, Festuca arundinacea, and Loliumperenne proved highly infected by endophytic (symbiotic) fungi of thegenus Neotyphodium.     

Enhanced establishment and growth of giant cardon cactus in an eroded field in the Sonoran Desert using native legume trees as nurse plants aided by plant growth-promoting microorganisms and compost

To evaluate the feasibility of long-term desert reforestation technology of mixed vegetation, cardon cactus (Pachycereus pringlei) seedlings from indoor and outdoor nurseries were planted in the field adjacent to one seedling of potential legume nurse trees: mesquite amargo (Prosopis articulata), yellow palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla), and blue palo verde (Parkinsonia florida). Some of the planting holes were also supplemented with common dairy compost. Additionally, the combinations of legume tree–cactus were inoculated with either a consortium of desert arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB; the diazotroph Azospirillum brasilense Cd, and the phosphate solubilizer Paenibacillus sp.), or a mixture of all. The field experiments were evaluated periodically during 30 months for survival and growth. Cardons reared in an outdoor screen house survived better in the field than those reared in a controlled growth chamber and hardened later outdoors. Association with any legume nurse tree increased survival and enhanced growth of untreated cardons. For cardons growing alone, application of either compost, AM fungi, and all the treatments combined increased survival. For these plants, no treatment affected plant growth during the first 3 months after transplanting. Later, all treatments, except for AM fungi, enhanced plant growth. However, only 2 years after transplanting the enhanced growth effect of AM fungi was also significant. In the presence of the legume nurse trees, transient positive effects on cardon growth were recorded. General evaluation after 30 months of cultivation showed that the treatments positively affected cardon growth when growing alone or in combination only with mesquite amargo but not with the other two legume trees. This study proposes that young legume trees have the capacity to enhance survival and growth of cardon cactus, depending on the legume cactus combination. Additional treatments such as compost or PGPB can either amplify the effect or else attenuate it.     

Karyotypic and genome size variation in Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeonpea) and some wild relatives

Detailed karyotypes and 4C DNA amounts have been studied in five cultivars of Cajanus cajan and 20 species belonging to Cajanus, Rhynchosia, Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx. C. cajan shows intraspecific variability and its karyotype is most similar to that of C. cajanifolius (sect. Cajanus) in the morphology and number of satellite chromosomes and the lack of any correlation between chromosome size within the complement and asymmetry. Karyotypes of C. lineatus and C. sericeus belonging to sect. Atylia are similar with respect to maximum r-index and the ratio of longest and shortest chromosomes in their respective complements. C. acutifolius (sect. Frutocosa) is distinct in having a very low ratio (1.44) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes, while in C. albicans, C. goensis, C. scarabaeoides (sect. Cantharospermum) there is no chromosome pair with r-index >2.0. C. mollis and C. volubilis (sect. Volubilis) show similarity with regard to ratio between the longest and the shortest chromosomes and a distinct chromosome pair with an arm ratio of 2.7 and C. platycarpus is distinct (sect. Rhynchosoides) in having the smallest ratio (1.36) between the longest and the shortest chromosomes. 4C DNA amounts in Cajanus and Rhynchosia vary between 3.28 pg to 11.69 pg and 4.92 pg to 11.13 pg respectively, while in Dunbaria, Flemingia and Paracalyx these vary between 4.70 and 7:06 pg. In the genus Cajanus karyotypic features and 4C DNA amounts agree with the sectional classification and bring out a close relationship between C. cajan and C. cajanifolius. This is supported by studies based on seed protein patterns, isozyme analysis, trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitor patterns, RFLP and RAPD data and crossability relationships. A clear relation between DNA amount and abnormalities effecting the extent of pairing and recombination in interspecific hybrids shows the importance of this study in developing future breeding programme involving C. cajan and its wild relatives that are of potential value.     

Effect of some fungicide seed treatments on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybean [Glycine max. (L) Merr.]

Several commercial fungicide seed treatments were evaluated for their possible effect on the survival of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on seeds and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans in a greenhouse and a field experiment. quinolate Pro (carbendazim and oxine copper), Vitavax 200FF (carboxin and thiram), and Monceren (pencycuron) had a small effect or no effect on the survival of B. japonicum and on the nodulation and yield of soybeans. They can thus be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation. Germipro UFB (carbendazim and iprodione), Apron 35J (metalaxyl), and Tachigaren (hymexazol) decreased B. japonicum survival and the nodulation and yield of soybeans and thus cannot be considered compatible with soybean seed inoculation.     

Leaf position and genotype differences for mineral element concentrations in sorghum grown on tropical acid soil 1

Mineral element deficiencies and toxicities are common problems associated with sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] production on acid soils. To better understand some of the mineral element problems and the analysis of plant tissue of sorghum plants grown on acid soils, four sorghum genotypes were grown on an acid Oxisol at Carimagua, Colombia limed with dolomite at 2 and 6 Mg ha^‐1.

Samples for mineral element analyses were obtained from leaves at different positions on the four genotypes. Concentrations of P and Mg were highest in the flag leaf (Leaf No. 1) and decreased as the position on the plant declined from the top of the plant for plants grown at 2 Mg lime ha^‐1. Similar decreases in P, Mg, K, and Zn concentrations occurred in plants grown with 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. Concentrations of Ca, S, Si, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Al increased as leaf position declined from the flag leaf for plants grown at 2 and 6 Mg lime ha^‐1. The higher lime supply enhanced Ca and reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in leaves. Differences in mineral element concentrations for the four genotypes used were fairly extensive. The elements to show the greatest range among genotypes were Al and Si and the elements to show the least range among genotypes were P, K, and S. Care should be used in collecting leaf samples for plant analysis and genotypic differences for accumulation of mineral elements should be considered in interpretation of results.