High vegetative compatibility diversity of Cryphonectria parasitica infecting sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) in Britain indicates multiple pathogen introductions

Chestnut blight, caused by Cryphonectria parasitica, was identified in Devon, UK, in December 2016. Intensive surveys detected the disease at further sites in Devon (seven), Berkshire (one), Dorset (one), Derbyshire (four) and a cluster of eight sites in southeast London. Over 570 survey samples were tested, and 227 were positive for C. parasitica by isolation and real-time PCR. A total of 227 isolates were tested for mating type, and 197 screened for vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and compared with VCGs known from mainland Europe. The same isolates were also screened for the presence of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV-1). Eleven VCGs were identified within the UK population. Five corresponded to already known European VCGs but six were unique. The European VCGs mainly came from the Devon, Dorset, Berkshire and Derbyshire disease outbreaks, whilst unique VCGs were almost exclusively from the southeast London cluster. Both mating types were detected, but only one mating type was present at each site, with the exception of a single Devon site. Perithecia of C. parasitica were never observed at any site. CHV-1 was found in seven isolates from three different locations and was always subtype-I, which has limited hypovirulence. Therefore, although CHV-1 is associated with C. parasitica at some outbreaks, it probably has limited impact on virulence. The diversity of VCGs and their distribution at outbreak sites, together with findings of CHV-1, suggests C. parasitica has been introduced to the UK multiple times over at least two decades through international plant trade.     

New Pseudococcidae species on Cupressus macrocarpa in Tunisia: first report of Planococcus vovae

In May 2017 and 2018, Planococcus vovae (Nasonov) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) was collected in Hammam Sousse (Tunisia) on the ornamental plant Cupressus macrocarpa (Cupressaceae). The infestation was observed on needles which showed symptoms of desiccation and chlorosis. This is the first record of P. vovae in Tunisia and in North Africa.     

A comparison of popular approaches to optimize landscape resistance surfaces

Landscape Ecology - Landscape resistance surfaces are often used to address questions related to movement, dispersal, or population connectivity. However, modeling landscape resistance is...     

Evidence of sedimentation inequality along riparian areas colonised by Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam)

Soil loss from riparian areas supporting the annual invasive weed, Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam), was measured and compared with equivalent values recorded at nearby, topographically similar areas supporting perennial vegetation over a cumulative seven-year period, along sections of two separate river systems; one in Switzerland, and one in the UK. Soil loss from colonised locations was significantly greater than from reference locations in four of the seven measurement periods. Despite contrasting results, standard deviations, based on soil losses and gains, were predominantly higher for colonised areas at both rivers over most monitoring periods. These findings indicated that areas colonised by Himalayan balsam experience higher sediment flux in comparison with areas free of invasion. Here, we test those original interpretations by reinterrogating the datasets using a more robust analysis of inequality. Nine datasets were tested, five of which (i.e. 56%) showed that sediment flux was significantly greater at Himalayan balsam-invaded areas than at reference areas. Three datasets showed no difference in sediment flux between invaded and reference areas (33%), and one (11%) showed higher sediment flux at reference areas. Most results uphold our original interpretations and support our hypothesis that hydrochory probably dictates where colonisation initially occurs, by depositing Himalayan balsam seeds in slack or depressional areas along river margins. Once Himalayan balsam becomes established and sufficient perennial vegetation is displaced, seasonal die-off and depleted vegetation cover may increase the risk that some areas will experience significantly higher sediment flux.     

Individual-based modeling highlights the importance of mortality and landscape structure in measures of functional connectivity

Landscape Ecology - Functional landscape connectivity is vital for the conservation of wildlife species. Landscape connectivity models often overlook factors such as mortality and asymmetry in...     

Marker‐assisted breeding for improvement of anaerobic germination in japonica rice (Oryza sativa)

Direct seeding is increasingly being practiced in rice cultivation areas because it saves labour and reduces cost of production and management. In this study, four japonica‐type breeding lines were developed from a cross of a japonica cultivar and an AG‐tolerant donor, KHO, using marker‐assisted selection. Validation of the target genes AG1 and AG2 in the selected lines was examined by PCR analysis and the background recovery rate by the recurrent parent was confirmed by genotyping using a 6K SNP chip. Compared to the recurrent, the survival rates of the selected lines were improved in a range from 33% to 115% in three conditions; in particular, the survival rate was increased in more than twice that of the recurrent parent under the hypoxic condition. The main agronomic trait, yield and quality‐related traits were similar to those of the recurrent parent. The use of these lines will contribute to the expansion of the cultivation area due to the proven economic benefits of direct seeding in Korea.     

An isolate of Wheat streak mosaic virus from foxtail overcomes Wsm2 resistance in wheat

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is an economically important pathogen of wheat (Triticum aestivum) causing major yield losses in regions where severe infection occurs. To detect the presence of any new virus or new WSMV isolates, green foxtail (Setaria viridis) plants exhibiting virus-like symptoms were sampled in a summer-fallowed wheat field at the Agricultural Research Center-Hays, Kansas State University, Hays, Kansas. These plants were tested serologically for four wheat viruses: WSMV, Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV), High Plains wheat mosaic virus (HPWMoV) and Foxtail mosaic virus (FoMV). Among 38 plant samples exhibiting virus-like symptoms, 29 contained WSMV as indicated by ELISA. Four isolates from samples with relatively strong reactions were transferred to healthy wheat seedlings by mechanical inoculation in a growth chamber for pathogenicity testing. Three isolates were avirulent to a wheat variety RonL, which contains Wsm2, a gene providing temperature-sensitive resistance to currently prevalent isolates of WSMV. However, one isolate, KSH294, was able to infect RonL and showed more virulence on two other varieties/lines containing Wsm2. Further sequence and phylogenetic analysis of KSH294 confirmed that this isolate displays a sequence homology with WSMV, but has sequence differences making it distinct from previously identified WSMV isolates included in the phylogenetic analysis.     

Landscape-level naturalness of conservation easements in a mixed-use matrix

Context

With underrepresentation of habitats in publicly protected areas, attention has focused on the function of alternative land conservation mechanisms. Private conservation easements (CEs) have proliferated in the United States, yet assessing landscape-level function is confounded by varying extent, resolution, and temporal scale.

Objectives

We developed and tested an assessment tool to evaluate interacting spatial, social, and environmental attributes of easements relative to the degree of human modification (HM). We hypothesized that on both private and public conservation properties HM would be lower than on non-conserved parcels, and that for fine-scale features (most CEs), the level of HM would be driven by the variables used to create the coarser scale HM measure.

Methods

Variation in HM between private, public, and non-conserved was tested via pairwise parcel sampling. Composition was evaluated using multiple geographic bounds and edge characteristics. We assessed both environmental and social predictors using multinomial logistic regression.

Results

Privately conserved lands did not differ significantly from non-conserved lands. Publicly conserved lands had lower HM than both privately conserved and non-conserved lands. Edge contrast was similar between private and matched non-conserved patches. The level of HM was not driven by distance to roads, or by elevation in this mixed-use setting.

Conclusions

Variation in tests for differences, land characteristics, and HM variables confirmed the significantly lower HM of publicly protected lands, and opens the question as to naturalness of easements in some contexts. CEs in this location may be representative of the mixed rural-forested landscape instead of more natural land cover.

     

Cryptic species and population genetic structure of Plasmopara viticola in São Paulo State,Brazil

Downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) is one of the most important diseases in grape-growing areas worldwide, including Brazil. To examine pathogen population biology and structure, P. viticola was sampled during the 2015/16 growing season from 516 lesions on nine grape cultivars in 11 locations in subtropical areas of São Paulo State, Brazil. For identification of cryptic species, a subsample of 130 isolates was subjected to cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) analysis, and for 91 of these isolates the ITS1 region was sequenced. These analyses suggest that the population of P. viticola in São Paulo State consists of a single cryptic species, P. viticola clade aestivalis. Seven microsatellite markers were used to determine the genetic structure of all 516 P. viticola isolates, identifying 23 alleles and 55 multilocus genotypes (MLGs). Among these MLGs, 34.5% were clonal and represented 93% of the isolates sampled. Four dominant genotypes were present in at least five different locations, corresponding to 65.7% of the isolates sampled. Genotypic diversity (Ĝ = 0.21–0.89) and clonal fraction (0.58–0.96) varied among locations (populations). Most populations showed significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg expectations; in addition, excess of heterozygosity was verified for many loci. However, principal coordinate analysis revealed no clusters among locations and no significant isolation by distance was found, suggesting high levels of migration. The results indicate that downy mildew epidemics result from multiple clonal infections caused by a few genotypes of P. viticola, and reproduction of P. viticola in São Paulo State is predominantly asexual.     

Site‐specific management is crucial to managing Mikania micrantha

Increasingly, weeds have been taking on global distributions. With the proliferation of invasive weeds has come the challenge of managing these species over broad geographical regions, with diverse habitats and political jurisdictions. Here, we review the management of Mikania micrantha Kunth (Asteraceae; mile‐a‐minute) throughout its invaded range, extending through most of the Pacific islands and southern and south‐east Asia. Context matters when determining the best course of action for managing M. micrantha, as it has invaded a large variety of agricultural and natural systems. In Queensland, Australia and Florida, USA, M. micrantha has been targeted in relatively successful eradication campaigns, highlighting the importance of early detection and rapid response methods, while elsewhere in its invaded range, populations are either still increasing or showing limited signs of decline. An inter‐regional approach to research and management should incorporate successful management strategies employed throughout the invaded range including, but not limited to, chemical and cultural control practices, manual and mechanical control, classical biological control using the rust fungus Puccinia spegazzinii, plant–plant competition and integrated approaches utilising two or more control methods concurrently. Additional knowledge of M. micrantha genetics is required to determine if management approaches could be fine‐tuned for particular populations. Countries bordering the Mekong River formed a network in 2011 to co‐ordinate the management of invasive species such as M. micrantha. Expanding such a collaborative approach to other regions could further reduce populations of M. micrantha and limit its spread.