Effect of high rates of zinc on several crops grown on an irrigated plainfield sand

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to determine whether Zn applied for pathogen control could accumulate to a level which would be toxic to snapbeans, cucumbers, or corn. Zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄) was applied at rates varying from 0 to 363 kg Zn/ha on a Flainfield loamy sand to approximate 3, 9, 27 and 81 years of fungicidal treatment.

Even at the high rate of Zn, yields of snapbeans, cucumbers, or corn generally were not reduced. As rates of applied Zn increased, there was a corresponding increase in the level of Zn in the leaf tissue of all crops grown. At the high Zn rate, snapbean and cucumber leaf tissue accumulated over 350 ppm Zn. Available soil Zn was extracted with 0.1N HCl, EDTA, or DTPA. Highly significant correlations were observed between the Zn removed by each extractant and plant tissue Zn, thus, indicating that the various extractants were equally effective in predicting Zn uptake.

Very little downward movement of Zn was observed. Two and one‐half years after application, the Zn had leached to a depth of only 30 cm in the soil profile at the higher Zn rates.

These data indicate that application of Zn‐containing fungicides and bactericides should not cause a Zn toxicity problem on the Plainfield sand in the foreseeable future.     

Corn (Zea mays L.) Grain and Stover Yield as Affected by Soil Residual Mineral Nitrogen

Evaluation of nitrogen (N) dynamic in soil using regression equations is important for proper determination of N fertilization. A 3-year field experiment was conducted to (1) develop the best-fitted regression model relating corn grain and stover yield to soil residual ammonium (NH₄)-N and nitrate (NO₃)-N for corn yield prediction and (2) evaluate how such a model can be beneficial to the health of ecosystem by predicting the appropriate rates of N fertilization for corn production. Soil NH₄-N and NO₃-N were determined at corn harvest at the depths of 0–30 and 30–60 cm. Nitrogen fertilizer rates and soil mineral N accounted for a maximum of 93% variation in corn grain yield. Soil mineral N enhanced corn yield more than N fertilizer. Totals of 63.1 and 14.1 kg/ha of soil residual NO₃-N and NH₄-N were found in the 0- to 60-cm depth, indicating the importance of performing soil N tests.     

Molecular characterization and in planta detection of Fusarium moniliforme endopolygalacturonase isoforms

The activation of Fusarium moniliforme endopolygalacturonase (endoPG) was studied during infection of maize plants. EndoPG is a plant cell wall degrading enzyme that cleaves the pectin component causing cell death. The authors generated several hybridoma cell lines producing endoPG specific monoclonal antibodies. One monoclonal antibody was selected and successfully used in Western blotting analysis to detect F. moniliforme endoPG secretion in vitro and in planta. Two F. moniliforme strains (FC-l0 and 62264) were used for the studies. Both strains revealed the expression of a single endoPG in vitro as in planta. EndoPG from strain FC-10 presented four isoforms whereas only two isoforms were revealed in the endoPG from strain 62264. Differences were also found in the sequences of the two endoPG genes indicating the presence of endoPG variability among F. moniliforme strains.     

Effect of Planting Sequence and Time, and Nitrogen on Maize Legume Intercrop Yield

Productivity of maize ( Zea mays L.) legume intercrops is determined by soil, management, and environment. Planting sequence and time and N fertilization are easily controlled management factors but their effects on intercrop yields are not well understood. Maize grown in monoculture or intercropped with polebean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) or cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata [L.] Warp.) was studied for two growing seasons at Morgantown, WV. Crops were seeded in the following sequences: maize before legume, both at the same time, and legume before maize. Planting times were early May or mid June. Nitrogen was applied at 0 or 160 kg ha⁻¹. Maize grain and forage, legume grain and forage, and total forage production were determined on a dry matter basis. Intercropping (average of all treatments) reduced maize grain and forage yields compared to maize in monoculture but had no effect on total forage production. However, total forage production was greatest when the seeding sequence was maize intercropped at the same time or before cowpea. Cowpea never produced grain, but forage production was almost double that of polebean. Maize produced most forage when seeded before the legumes, and the legumes produced most forage when seeded before maize. Early planting increased maize production and decreased legume production. Nitrogen increased maize grain, maize forage, and total forage yields but had not effect on legume forage production. It is concluded that maize/legume intercrops show promise for increasing forage production in temperate areas and more research on planting times and densities, weed control, harvesting and management is needed.     

Seed treatment prevents vertical transmission of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium moniliforme</Emphasis>, making a significant contribution to disease control

Fusarium moniliforme is a widespread facultative endophyte, primarily associated with corn, where it causes extensive crop damage.F. moniliforme can be toxigenic, the carcinogenic fumonisins being accumulated predominantly when the fungus colonizes corn plants. The pathogen is transmitted both through contaminated seeds and through environmental inoculum. This study utilized markednit-mutantF. moniliforme inoculum in order to evaluate the quantitative significance of seedborne disease transmission. Greenhouse and field trials demonstrated that seedborne isolates were responsible for up to 50% ofF. moniliforme disease. Seed treatment with the fungicide prochloraz was found to control seedborne transmission and to protect againstF. moniliforme seedling blight. The elimination of seedborne inoculum resulted in reduced incidence of kernel rot and avoided the increment in soil inoculum accumulation associated with the introduction of infected seeds. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 10, 2003.     

Activity of glutathione S-transferase toward some herbicides and its regulation by benoxacor in non-embryogenic callus and in vitro regenerated tissues of Zea mays

A procedure was developed to obtain non-embryogenic callus and regenerated lines from root segments of Zea mays grown in aseptic conditions. The activity of glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), for non-embryogenic callus, was determined toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and it was compared with that obtained for corn seedlings grown without hormones. For the callus masses, increases of specific activity toward CDNB and the kinetic parameter V_max were observed with respect to corn seedlings. The procedure permitted the regenerating of tissues from callus explants, therefore the GST(CDNB) activity and the effect of the safener benoxacor on its expression were investigated for the regenerated tissues grown in agarized substrate and in liquid medium. These explants showed a constitutive GST(CDNB) activity higher than corn seedlings and this activity was increased, for both tissues, in response to the presence of the safener benoxacor in the growing medium. The GST activity for the above tissues was also assayed toward benoxacor and terbuthylazine, metolachlor and fluorodifen herbicides. Measurable GST activity was found toward some of the above chemicals and it was found to be significantly enhanced in response to benoxacor treatment.     

玉米高直链淀粉基因ae的特异性PCR鉴定

根据ae基因序列设计21对引物,对4个常规玉米自交系和4个具有aeae纯合基因型的高直链淀粉玉米自交系及其杂交种进行特异性PCR鉴定。结果表明,引物8可将具有AeAe基因型的普通玉米自交系与具有aeae基因型高直链淀粉玉米区分开来,为将普通玉米自交系快速改良成高直链淀粉玉米自交系提供了一种有效的分子标记检测技术。     

不同水分状况下秸秆覆盖量对玉米根、冠生长的影响

在遮雨棚控水条件下,采用盆栽的方式研究了不同秸秆覆盖量对玉米根、冠生长的影响.试验按对照(CK)和秸秆覆盖量0.3 kg/m2(SM0.3)、0.6 kg/m2(SM0.6)、0.9 kg/m2(SM0.9)、1.2 kg/m2.(SM1.2)共设5个处理,水分按高水(占田间持水量的90%)和低水(占田间持水量的60%)设两个水平.分别测定了玉米根、茎、叶、穗干重,根系垂直空间分布及叶片叶绿素相对含量等指标.结果表明:秸秆覆盖明显改变了玉米根系和地上部分的生长;高水条件下SM0.6处理玉米根系、茎秆、叶和穗干重均高于其它处理;低水条件下,地上部分干重SM1.2最大,SM0.6次之;根系的垂直空间分布与水分和覆盖条件都有密切的关系,覆盖措施主要影响下层根系的生长和发育.     

Complementary host–pathogen genetic analyses of the role of fumonisins in the Zea mays–Gibberella moniliformis interaction

Zea mays often is colonized with the fungus Gibberella moniliformis, which produces fumonisin toxins. The role of fumonisins in seedling colonization and blight was studied using complementary genetic analyses of host and pathogen. Only one of two fumonisin B1 (FB1)-insensitive maize backcross lines was more resistant than the FB1-sensitive parent to seedling blight, indicating that the increase in FB1-insensitivity was not associated with an increase in resistance. FB1-producing and nonproducing isogenic fungal strains did not differ in ability to cause seedling blight, but the FB1-producing strain was more effective in systemic colonization of seedlings in reciprocal strain challenge tests. Together, these and previous results indicate that the role of fumonisins depends on complex environmental and genetic contexts in this host–pathogen interaction.     

Does the Sulfur Assimilation Pathway Play a Role in the Response to Fe Deficiency in Maize (Zea mays L.) Plants?

Abstract

The finding that the methionine is the sole precursor of the mugineic acid family phytosiderophores induced us to evaluate whether sulfur assimilation pathway has a role in plant response to Fe deficiency. Maize plants were grown for 10 days in nutrient solution (NS) containing 80 µM Fe in the presence (+S) or absence (?S) of sulfate. After removing the root extraplasmatic iron pool, half of the plants of each treatment (+S and ?S) were transferred to a new Fe deficient NS (0.1 µM final Fe concentration) (?Fe). The remaining plants of each pre‐culture condition (+S and ?S) were transferred to a new NS containing 80 µM Fe (+Fe). Leaves were collected 4 and 24 hours from the beginning of Fe deprivation period and used for chemical analysis and enzyme assays. Results showed that iron content in the leaves was lower in plants grown in S‐deficiency than in those grown in the presence of the macro‐nutrient. Iron deprivation produced an increase in the level of SH compounds in both nutritive conditions (+S and ?S). These observations are suggestive of some relationship between S nutrition and Fe uptake. For this reason, we next investigated the influence of Fe availability on S metabolism through the evaluation of changes in ATPs and OASs activity, the first and the last enzyme of S assimilation pathway respectively. Results showed that S‐starvation increased the activity of both enzymes, but this effect disappeared in plants upon Fe deficiency suggesting that S metabolism is sensitive to Fe availability. Taken together these evidences suggest that S metabolism is sensitive to soil Fe‐availability for plant nutrition and support the hypothesis of S involvement in plant response to Fe deprivation.