Potential of Hydroxamic Acids in Breeding for Aphid Resistance in Wheat

Abstract

Swedish wheats were analysed at the seedling stage for hydroxamic acids (Hx), a family of natural aphid resistance factors. Analysis comprised the historical development from old landraces to modern cultivars, and included cultivars in the Swedish National List of Cultivars for 1992–93. Spring and winter wheats contained similar average Hx concentrations, 2.12 ± 0.801 (n = 26) and 2.37 ± 0.816 (n = 49) mmol/kg fr. wt, respectively. Cultivars recommended for 1992–93 showed lower levels of Hx, 1.14 ± 0.574 (n = 7) and 1.97 ± 0.751 (n = 8), respectively. Breeding wheat for higher Hx levels as a means of obtaining increased aphid resistance is discussed.     

Estimating the onset of cambial activity in Scots pine in northern Finland by means of the heat-sum approach

We estimated the date of onset (Date(est)) of cambial activity by the pinning method in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees at Vanttauskoski (Site 1) and Laanila (Site 2) near the latitudinal limit of Scots pine in northern Finland. In each year and at each site, observations were made on a different set of five trees. The estimated dates of onset of cambial activity were compared with the corresponding heat sums, calculated in degree-days according to two models. Within years, Date(est) varied among trees by up to 15 days at Site 1 and up to 13 days at Site 2. Among years, mean Date(est) varied by 15.3 days at Site 1 and 12.0 days at Site 2. The overall mean Date(est) differed between sites by 6 days (June 5 at Site 1 and June 11 at Site 2). Among all trees in all years, the mean number of degree days (d.d.) calculated from mean daily temperature above a threshold of 5 degrees C before Date(est) ranged from 68.7 to 135 d.d. at Site 1 and from 37.4 to 154.7 d.d. at Site 2. Among years, the mean heat sum before Date(est )ranged from 94 to 112.5 d.d. at Site 1 and from 61.4 to 136 d.d. at Site 2. Variation among years in heat sum before Date(est) at Site 2 was highly significant, indicating that one or more factors other than, or in addition to, heat sum determines the onset of cambial activity in Scots pine. Similar results were obtained when heat sum was computed from the area between the sine wave generated by daily maximum and minimum temperature and the threshold temperature.     

Clinico-chemical blood parameters in foals in the first two months of life]

Eighteen healthy foals were studied from birth until 2 months of age. Blood samples were obtained at the following times: presuckle, 30 hours, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 weeks of age. Changes in serum P, Mg, Ca, Na, K, Cl, iron, AP, ASAT, ALAT, GGT, GLDH, CK, lipase, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, protein and fibrinogen and in plasma total solids were examined and the values compared to reference values of adult horses. There were characteristic age related changes in several parameters. Single measurements should be interpreted cautiously to allow for individual variations.     

Zur KiefernHarznu?ung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

A comparison of morphology,pathogenicity and restriction fragment patterns of mitochondrial DNA among isolates of Phytophthora porri Foister

Thirteen strains ofPhytophthora porri from five different hosts were compared with respect to their morphology, cardinal temperatures for growth, pathogenicity to leek and cabbage and restriction fragment patterns of mitochondrial DNA. Morphology of vegetative growth was rather similar in most isolates. Those characters which differed among isolates showed overlapping variability and could not be used to distinguish groups, with the exception of production of oogonia and sporangia and the antheridium type. Considerable differences were found in restriction patterns of mitochondrial DNA, isolates from the same host mostly showing identical patterns. Isolates from differentAllium species showed relatively similar restriction patterns if compared to the other isolates. Isolates fromBrassica oleracea proved to be a homogeneous group, quite different from the others with respect to restriction patterns, production of sporangia, production of oogonia, antheridium type and pathogenicity. One isolate, CBS 366.59, isolated from and pathogenic toA. porrum, deviated in many characters from the other isolates. It showed the restriction patterns ofPhytophthora nicotianae and also the high cardinal temperatures for growth typical for this species. The sporangia, however, were distinctly non-papillate and the majority of antheridia was of the paragynous type.     

Untersuchungen zur Lagerung von Erdbeeren unter Berücksichtigung verschiedener Verpackungsmaterialien

In order to reduce the loss of quality of freshly harvested strawberries during storage, the effects of different packaging materials were examined with regard to storage time and temperature regime (20°C with relative humidity 75%, 4°C with relative humidity 88%). Strawberry containers (500?g) were used differing in form, alignment and number of ventilation openings, top and material. It was found that a drop in temperature to 4°C preserved the quality of strawberries longer in all packaging variants. Nevertheless, the used packaging material had different effects on the quality parameters. The packaging material made of polypropylene, which was closed with a lid and was equipped only with little ventilation openings, yielded the best results, e.?g. the transpiration losses were strongly reduced, thus favouring the preservation of pulp consistency and colour stability of the fruits. On the other hand, the fresh mass during storage was reduced by the materials polyethylenterephthalat, polyactid and groundwood. The quality loss was less dependent on the material, but more dependent on the number of ventilation openings. The results showed that with increasing numbers of ventilation openings the transpiration losses increased and the consistency and colour stability of the fruits decreased. In this context, a strong reduction of pathogenic infestation in relation to the ventilation openings could not be observed. As such, the loss of freshness was lowest with the packaging material of polypropylene, followed by the polyethylenterephthalat, polyactid and groundwood. Moreover, it was found that the kind of packaging material and the ventilation openings had an effect on the amount of pressure marks and the discharge of cell sap of the strawberries. The uneven ground surface of the materials made of polyethylenterephthalat and polyactid increased the punctual pressure on the strawberry fruits, which led to pressure marks and injuries of the fruit surface. Sharp-edged ventilation openings close to the ground surface of these variants favoured injuries and cell sap discharges of the packaging.     

Plant water stress and K starvation reduce absorption of foliar applied K by olive leaves

Three-month-old mist-rooted ‘Picual’ olive cuttings were transplanted into 2-l plastics pots containing perlite as substrate and fertigated with a complete nutrient solution containing 0.05, 0.1 or 2.5 mM KCl depending on the experiment. In the first experiment, plants were sprayed with RbCl (Rb⁺ is a K⁺ analog) at a rate of 4% at 63 days after transplanting (DAT). Foliar Rb⁺ uptake through leaves increased with K⁺ concentration in the nutrient solution, indicating that foliar Rb⁺ uptake was lower when plants were K⁺ deficient than when they were adequate. On the contrary, it was observed that translocation of Rb⁺ from leaves to other organs of the plant was higher under K⁺ deficiency conditions. In the second and third experiments, when differences appeared on shoot length due to K⁺ nutritional status (0.05 or 2.5 mM KCl) at 63 DAT, a group of plants were subjected to water stress during 7 weeks. On the other hand, another group of plants (control plants) did not receive any water stress treatment during the experiments. After this period of 7 weeks, all plants were sprayed with RbCl at 4%. Leaf K⁺ concentration diminished in water-stressed plants independently of plants nutritional status. Foliar Rb⁺ uptake through leaves was restricted by water stress either in plants with low K⁺ (0.05 mM KCl) or plants with high K⁺ (2.5 mM KCl). Translocation of Rb⁺ from leaves was greater under water stress conditions in both K⁺ nutritional statuses. In conclusion, the results obtained could explain the irregular response in olive trees to foliar K⁺ sprays, particularly, when they grow in rainfed orchards.     

Die Holzmassenturoe

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Optimizing sampling effort within a systematic design for estimating abundant escapement of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in their natal river

The upstream migration of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in the Horsefly River was monitored by a DIDSON imaging sonar during the dominant stock-cycle year 2005 using a systematic 20-min h⁻¹ sampling scheme. We used a subset of these data collected between 16 and 29 September to investigate whether this sampling protocol was justified based on temporal variation in the salmon migration data. During post-processing, the 20-min sequence was split into two 10-min periods and the number of migrating salmon was counted separately. Cross- and autocorrelation analysis showed that estimates from the first and second 10-min samples were similar (r = 0.65) and variation between them (i.e., within the hour) was random, supporting the conclusion that systematic-hourly sampling is a defensible sampling design for acoustic enumeration when temporal variation in fish migration is unknown a priori. Using a simple benefit–cost model (statistical reliability of point estimates of salmon escapement–sampling effort), we recommend a minimum sampling effort of 10-min h⁻¹ and a maximum effort of 20-min h⁻¹ for projects using a systematic sampling scheme in which the goal is to estimate total upstream salmon escapement. An alternative sampling approach targets high-passage events such as diurnal peaks or periods when total daily upstream escapement exceeds 25 000 fish d⁻¹, for increased sampling effort while reducing sampling effort during low-passage periods. This design will improve the statistical reliability of the resulting point estimates of upstream escapement relative to that achievable with a systematic effort with no overall change in total sampling effort over the course of the migration period.