Effects of aqueous extracts and decomposition of Mikania micrantha H.B.K. debris on selected agronomic crops

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of aqueous extract and the debris of Mile-a-Minute ( Mikania micrantha H.B.K.) on the germination and growth of four test species, viz. tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Chinese cabbage ( Brassica chinensis L.), corn ( Zea mays L.) and long bean ( Vigna sesquipedalis L.). Germination percentage, radicle length and fresh weight of two crops, Chinese cabbage and tomato, decreased progressively when plants were exposed to increasing concentrations (12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 g L⁻¹) of aqueous extract of Mikania , but did not affect those of corn and long bean seedlings. The emergence of tomato and Chinese cabbage was greatly reduced when Mikania debris was incorporated into the soil, irrespective of the amount of debris and the decomposition period. In contrast, the emergence of corn and long bean seedlings was not affected. The application of fertilizer (NPK 15 : 15 : 15) enhanced the fresh weight of all seedlings tested as compared with those not supplied with the fertilizer. Four compounds were identified in the leaf extract of Mikania , viz. caffeic acid, p -hydroxybenzaldehyde, resorcinol and vanillic acid.     

Approach of allelopathy study with Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Hevnh. and Neurospora crassa

Allelopathy in Arabidopsis seeds was investigated in the present study because there are few available reports of allelopathy studies regarding the early development stage of the plant life cycle, and because Arabidopsis is widely used as a model plant for molecular biology. When cockscomb ( Celosia cristata ) was incubated together with Arabidopsis seeds, the growth of cockscomb was promoted by Arabidopsis seeds. Exudate of Arabidopsis seeds showed a promotive activity on the growth of cockscomb and Arabidopsis itself. A new method for studying allelopathic mechanisms involving the interaction of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Hevnh. and the fungus Neurospora crassa was suggested. Arabidopsis seed exudate and the water-soluble fraction of the exudate promoted Arabidopsis growth and reduced fungal germination, indicating that the seed exudate has a species-selective activity. Conversely, the ethylacetate-soluble fraction inhibited growth of all tested materials in the current study. These results demonstrate that the water-soluble substance(s) released from Arabidopsis seeds have species-selective activity on growth of both plants and microorganisms.     

铺地竹叶片对结球生菜种子发芽及幼苗生长的影响

采用基质盆栽试验,研究了铺地竹(Sasa argenteastriatus E.G.Camus)叶片对结球生菜(Lactucasativa L.var.capitata L.)种子萌发和幼苗生长的影响,结果表明,铺地竹叶片粉末对结球生菜种子的萌发和幼根生长具有一定的抑制作用,随着浓度的增加抑制作用增强,在50～200 g/m2的范围内,幼根抑制率为12.15%～28.91%。在50～100 g/m2的用量下,铺地竹叶片对结球生菜苗长表现为促进生长作用,而在200 g/m2时,则表现为抑制生长作用。施用铺地竹叶片后3 d、6 d、9 d和12 d,结球生菜幼苗的叶绿素含量特别是叶绿素a的含量显著减少,随着基质中叶片粉末浓度的增加,结球生菜叶绿素含量降低,叶绿素a含量高低依次为对照、低浓度处理、中浓度处理、高浓度处理。随着处理后时间的延长,竹叶对结球生菜叶片叶绿素a含量的影响减弱。这个结果进一步验证了自然条件下铺地竹叶片对植物生长的化感效应,说明其具有开发植物源除草剂的潜力,为研究铺地竹叶片中的化感物质提供了佐证。     

紫花苜蓿土壤浸提液对蜀葵的化感作用

为探究紫花苜蓿对蜀葵种子萌发和生长的化感作用，采取了紫花苜蓿根际及距离根际20、40、60 cm处表层5~10 cm的土壤，采用高效液相色谱法（HPLC）检测土壤浸提液（分别表示为R、D20、D40、D60）中5种有机酸类化感物质的含量。采用生物检测方法分析测定了土壤浸提液对蜀葵种子萌发的影响，并通过盆栽试验测定了紫花苜蓿与蜀葵间作条件下蜀葵叶绿素、丙二醛（MDA）、可溶性蛋白及生物量等生理生态学指标。结果表明： 5种有机酸在紫花苜蓿根际的含量最高，随着与根际距离的增加有机酸含量逐渐减少；R处理下，蜀葵发芽率和发芽指数比对照（蒸馏水）分别降低6.23%和31.32%，根长和苗长则与对照相比分别显著减少了56.11%和48.94%。盆栽实验结果表明，紫花苜蓿和蜀葵间作对蜀葵地上和地下生物量均产生明显抑制作用，与单种时相比分别减少8.01%和23.99%；间作使蜀葵叶绿素含量降低、MDA和可溶性蛋白含量升高。研究表明，紫花苜蓿对蜀葵有明显的化感作用，种植时不宜过密，应至少保持间距60 cm。     

Performance of Bangladesh indigenous rice in a weed infested field and separation of allelopathy from resource competition

This study aimed to identify the potential allelopathic indigenous rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) varieties from Bangladesh using a performance study in a weed‐infested field and to assess the extent of allelopathic interference relative to resource competition in a glasshouse experiment. Six varieties – namely, “Boterswar,” “Goria,” “Biron” and “Kartiksail” as the most allelopathic, “Hashikolmi” as weakly allelopathic and “Holoi” as nonallelopathic – were raised following a nonweed control method. The infestation levels of weed species were calculated using Simpson's Diversity Index (SDI), which ranged from 0.2 to 0.56. However, a significant correlation coefficient (0.87, P < 0.001) was obtained from these field data compared with the root inhibition percentage from the laboratory bioassay, and the “Boterswar” variety was the most allelopathic. The interactions between the allelopathic variety “Boterswar,” weakly allelopathic variety “Hashikolmi” and Echinochloa oryzicola via a target (rice)‐adjacent (E. oryzicola) cogrowth culture were determined in a hydroponic arrangement. The relative competitive intensity (RCI) and the relative neighbor effect (RNE) values showed that the crop–weed interaction was facilitation for “Boterswar” and competition for “Hashikolmi” and E. oryzicola in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The allelopathic effects of “Boterswar” were much higher than the resource competition in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The converse was observed for “Hashikolmi.” Moreover, the mineral content of E. oryzicola was severely affected by “Boterswar”/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures’ exudate solution. Therefore, the allelopathic potential of “Boterswar” variety might be useful for developing the weed‐suppressing capacity of rice, which will likely have a significant influence on paddy weed control.     

他感作用及其林学意义与思考

在全面介绍他感作用研究历史、概念和研究现状的基础上,分析认为苗圃育苗失败、边行优势、小老树、散生树种、林网胁地、干旱半干旱地区造林成活率保存率双低等常见林学问题,都是他感作用的结果,或其重要因素之一。结合相关论述,提供铅笔柏受群众杨他感抑制的一则实例,提出挥发性他感物质改变茎尖向性生长可能是一种他感作用形式,以及植物吐水作为他感物质释放的可能途径。从植物次生代谢和进化角度进一步阐释他感作用,结合植物生物学特点,分析认为他感作用是植物的攻击性防御手段,其效能强度依次为抑制竞争者种子萌发、根尖生长、茎尖生长、侧芽萌发、全株生长和种子生产。     

白三叶对黑麦草、弯叶画眉草的化感作用初探

针对白三叶Trifolium repens与黑麦草Lotium perenne、弯叶画眉草Eragrostis curvula混播时导致后2种植物数量减少甚至消失的现象,通过白三叶的根部、地上部和植株水提液对黑麦草和弯叶画眉草种子进行发芽实验,以及白三叶与黑麦草、白三叶与弯叶画眉草种子混播进行实验,研究表明:白三叶(幼苗、2年生植株根及茎叶)的水提取液在原液以及稀释20倍时对受体植物的胚根和胚芽的生长均产生明显的抑制作用,而在100倍稀释液时表现出一定的促进作用;白三叶与黑麦草及白三叶与弯叶画眉草种子混播实验,表明5∶1的比例为最佳混播比例.     

Recent Advances in the Enhancement of Agroecosystem Services and Functioning by Cotton-based Intercropping Systems

Cotton-based intercropping systems are one of modern agriculture farming systems aiming at improving overall economic profitability of cotton field, which not only release the competition for land between other crops and cotton and increase growing area and yield of both crops, but also represent a mechanistic approach to reconciling crop production and biodiversity conservation. Recently, cotton-based intercropping systems have been widely focused and applied. Here, we reviewed the potential of cotton-based intercropping systems to reinforce agroecosystem services and functioning, including promoted plant biodiversity, improved overall productivity and economic profits, increased light use efficiency, improved cotton quality, reduced pest and disease occurrence, and suppressed weed growth. Further, the underlying mechanisms behind the enhancement of agroecosystem services and functioning by cotton-based intercropping systems through niche complementarity, interspecific facilitation, and allelopathy between intercropped species were summarized in the paper. Finally, the research prospects were also pointed out.     

Inhibitory and promotive allelopathy in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Studies on allelopathic rice, which inhibits the germination and development of weeds such as barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa spp.) and ducksalad [ Heteranthera limosa (Sw.) Wild.], have been strongly conducted in the USA, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and other countries since the 1980s. Weed-suppressing rice plants can compete with weeds for light and mineral nutrients by their rapid and thick growth characteristics, and probably also by their allelopathic effects. It was suggested that allelopathic properties were inherited from parents. Different screening methods for finding allelopathic rice simply and rapidly have been proposed. In contrast, stimulative allelopathy in rice, which promotes germination of the dormant and dormancy-awakened seeds of Monochoria vaginalis (Burm. f.) Kunth var. vaginalis , has been investigated by the authors since the 1990s. Rice seeds promoted the germination in the dark and in light under submerged conditions. Our experiments suggested that rice seeds, hulls, plants and straw contain stimulative substance(s) that promote seed germination of M. vaginalis .