Biology,impact, and management of Echinochloa colona (L.) Link

Echinochloa colona (L.) Link. is one of the most problematic weeds across the world. It is an annual C₄ summer grass, native to tropical and subtropical Asia, emerged as a serious and persistent threat in 35 cropping systems in more than 60 countries. E. colona is reported as an important associated weed species in transplanted and direct-seeded rice. Diverse ecotypes, high seed production, short seed dormancy, rapid growth, competitive potential, allelopathic interaction, and resistance against several herbicides makes it a more adaptable and persistent challenge in various agro-ecosystems. Development of resistance to recommended or higher doses of numerous herbicides, including ametryn, atrazine, bispyribac-sodium, clefoxidym, cyhalofop-butyl, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, glyphosate, metribuzin, propanil, and triazine, is a serious concern for the farming and scientific community. Crop infestation with resistant E. colona biotypes may ultimately increase the weed control cost. Unfortunately, investigations on seed dormancy release, genetic diversity, allelopathic interference, and competitive ability of this weed are inadequate in accomplishing its appropriate control in different environments. Therefore, a comprehensive review is presented here to gather the existing information, to pin point key findings, and to highlight the research gaps in the biology, interference, and management of E. colona. Different management options have been discussed in relation with eco-biology of this noxious weed. The potential research endeavours have also been highlighted in order to provide an insight of its existing scenario and to facilitate the future management strategies.     

Effect of mulch on initial coverage of four groundcover species for low input landscaping in a Mediterranean climate

Groundcovers play a very important role in the creation of urban green spaces. They provide many agronomic and environmental benefits while simplifying the urban landscape management.In the areas with a Mediterranean-type climate, the development of low-input landscapes, with the ability to maintain their functions and aesthetical appeal, is pivotal. The aim of this study was to identify groundcover species that could be suited to the local environmental conditions and to evaluate the effect of different mulching systems on plant growth and weed suppression.Digital image analysis was used to measure the green cover percentage of four species (Hedera helix L., Hypericum calycinum L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Vinca minor L.) grown on two different types of mulch (EcoCover^® and wood-chips) and on bare soil. Changes in plant coverage, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and weed biomass were recorded over a two year period.The prostrate R. officinalis established rapidly and reached more than 80% of coverage within 3 months after planting. Also, it was not affected by weed competition. Non-native H. calycinum also exhibited a quick spread, but it was unsuitable for low-input Mediterranean landscapes because it died during late summer from fungal disease. H. helix and V. minor were also adversely affected by pathogens and, due to their slow initial growth and low percent cover in the second year, they did not control weeds during the study. With the exception of R. officinalis, mulching materials did not significantly improve the establishment and cover ability of the tested species, but had significant effects on weed suppression. Digital image analysis and spectral reflectance proved to be reliable and objective techniques to assess groundcover performance.     

Herbicide options for effective weed management in dry direct-seeded rice under scented rice-wheat rotation of western Indo-Gangetic Plains

Farmers' participatory field trials were conducted at Madhuban, and Taraori, the two participatory experimental sites/locations of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), a collaborative project of IRRI and CIMMYT in Karnal district of Haryana, India, during Kharif (wet season) 2010 and 2011. This research aimed to evaluate preemergence (PRE) and postemergence (POST) herbicides for providing feasible and economically viable weed management options to farmers for predominant scented rice varieties. Treatments with pendimethalin PRE fb bispyribac-sodium + azimsulfuron POST had lower weed biomass at 45 days after sowing (DAS). At Madhuban, highest grain yield of scented basmati rice (3.43 t ha⁻¹) was recorded with the sequential application of pendimethalin PRE fb bispyribac-sodium + azimsulfuron POST. However, at Taraori, yields were similar with pendimethalin or oxadiargyl PRE fb bispyribac-sodium and/or azimsulfuron POST. Applying oxadiargyl by mixing with sand onto flooded field was less effective than spray applications in non-flooded field. The benefit-cost ratio of rice crop was higher with herbicide treatments at both sites as compared with the non-treated weed-free check except single PRE and POST applications and sequential application of oxadiargyl PRE fb oxadiargyl PRE. In a separate experiment conducted at Nagla and Taraori sites, scented rice cultivars' ('CSR 30′ and 'Pusa 1121′) tolerance to three rates of azimsulfuron (15, 25, and 35 g ai ha⁻¹) was evaluated over two years (2010 and 2011). CSR 30 (superfine, scented) was more sensitive to higher rates (35 g ai ha⁻¹) of azimsulfuron as compared to Pusa 1121 (fine, scented). Crop injuries were 8 and 28% in case of CSR 30; 5 and 15% in Pusa 1121 when applied with azimsulfuron 25 and 35 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. Azimsulfuron applied at 35 g ai ha⁻¹ reduced yield in both cultivars but in CSR 30 yield reduction was twofold (11.5%) as that of Pusa 1121 (5.2%).     

祁连圆柏林地不同除草方式对杂草群落及其多样性的影响

在甘肃省张掖市龙渠祁连圆柏林内采用群落生态学方法研究了化学除草、人工除草及化学除草+人工除草对祁连圆柏林杂草群落及其多样性的影响。结果表明,化学除草试验区杂草为5科15种,人工除草试验区杂草为9科20种,化学除草+人工除草试验区杂草为6科16种,对照区杂草为14科30种。化学除草处理区的杂草物种丰富度指数、Shannon多样性指数和Shannon均匀度指数最低,人工除草处理区最高,表明化学除草对祁连圆柏林杂草多样性的影响最大。在祁连圆柏林地防除杂草,采取化学除草+人工除草的方式比较适宜。     

除虫菊地上部分水浸液对杂草种苗生长的影响

采用室内培养皿法,测试除虫菊地上部分水浸液对田间常见6种杂草种苗生长的影响。结果表明:不同质量浓度水浸液对杂草种苗生长的抑制作用依质量浓度梯度存在差异,除播娘蒿外其他5种总体均表现"低促高抑"趋势,在最高质量浓度0.03g·mL-1处理下,抑制作用最强;杂草种苗所受抑制作用大小依受体杂草种类存在差异,总体抑制作用由大到小依次为播娘蒿泽漆雀麦婆婆纳反枝苋野燕麦;除虫菊地上部分水浸液对试验杂草生理代谢影响测试表明,高质量浓度水浸液处理下,杂草幼苗受氧化胁迫严重。双子叶杂草较单子叶杂草对水浸液更敏感。     

枣抑制消减cDNA文库构建与分析

枣树具有独特的开花结果特性,为获得枣花发育基因,以金丝4号枣不同发育时期的花蕾和同时期的叶片cDNA互为试验方和驱动方,利用抑制消减杂交技术分别构建了枣花和枣叶抑制消减杂交cDNA文库(SSH文库)。枣花和枣叶SSH文库重组率分别是92.05%和90.26%,插入片段长度均介于200~2 000 bp之间,主要集中于1 000 bp左右。分别从枣花和枣叶SSH文库中随机挑选1 000个阳性克隆进行DNA测序、组装拼接,结果显示枣花SSH文库中获得96条unigene,其中contigs 43个,singletons 53个,96条unigene预测得到73个ORF,经过同源比对分析获得有注释的序列20条,按功能分为7类;枣叶SSH文库中获得86条unigene,其中contigs 45个,singletons 41个,86条unigene预测得到70个ORF,经过同源比对分析获得有23条注释的序列,按功能分为6类。     

Past, present and future criteria to breed crops for water-limited environments in West Africa

Asia's Green Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s has largely bypassed West Africa, and “modern” (high-yielding, input responsive) germplasm for staple crops has found comparatively little adoption, except for systems that are have good access to markets and sufficient water resources. It is unlikely, however, that breeding objectives conserving traditional crop characteristics as found in extensive systems would have been more successful. The authors identify systems caught in the agricultural transition from subsistence to intensified, market-oriented production as the most important target for crop improvement, and provide examples of new breeding objectives for cowpea, sorghum and upland rice. In each of these cases, breeders, with the help of physiologists, have developed innovative plant-type concepts that combine improved yield potential and input responsiveness with specific traditional crop characteristics that remain essential during the agricultural transition. In the case of cowpea, dual-purpose varieties were developed that produce a good grain yield due to an erect plant habit, then produce new leaves enabling a second harvest of green foliage. For upland rice systems that are limited by labour (mainly needed to control weeds that abound due to shortened fallow periods), a weed competitive plant type was developed from Oryza sativa × Oryza glaberrima crosses. Lastly, sorghum breeders who had previously deselected photoperiod sensitivity are now re-inserting sensitivity into plants having “modern” architecture, in order to allow for flexible sowing dates while maintaining an agro-ecologically optimal time of flowering near the end of the wet season. The ecophysiological basis of these plant types, their place in current and future cropping systems, as well as the problem of under-funding for their realisation, are discussed.     

基于纹理和位置特征的麦田杂草识别方法

以化学防除适期麦田杂草为研究对象，对利用条播作物的位置和纹理特征识别田间杂草的方法进行了研究。根据条播作物小麦作物行的间距相对固定等位置特征，利用植物像素直方图法确定作物行的中心线和行宽，并识别行间杂草。然后，以作物行中心为基准来选取纹理块，计算量化级数为8级的H颜色空间的共生矩阵，提取5个纹理特征参数，利用K均值聚类法判别分析各块的类别来识别行内杂草。研究结果表明，杂草的正确识别率约为93％，作物的错误识别率约为7％。     

松材线虫虫体特异表达cDNA文库的构建与分析

松材线虫取食和致病相关基因的鉴定是揭示松材线虫病致病机制的重要研究内容。以松材线虫混合虫体为测试方,线虫卵为驱动方,构建二者差减cDNA文库。文库测序结果经序列拼接、功能注释,共获得松材线虫虫体特异表达的有效EST序列354个,拼接后获得34个重叠群,其中15个重叠群获得明确的功能注释,其中MixC12、MixC25、MixC33分别与过氧化物酶、β-1,4内切葡聚糖酶、锌指家族蛋白有较高的同源性,这些基因被认为与植物线虫的取食和致病性密切相关。RT-PCR分析验证了所获得的差减cDNA的代表性。     

黔中玉米耕地土壤杂草种子库季节动态

对黔中玉米耕地土壤进行种子萌发试验,结果表明:玉米地杂草种子库共有44个物种出现,隶属16科40属。4个季节单位面积的种子萌发量Ⅰ季度8 609粒/m2>Ⅲ季度8 045粒/m2>Ⅱ季度6 491粒/m2>Ⅳ季度2 698粒/m2。狗尾草和水田碎米荠为上半年库中优势物种,下半年优势物种则为波斯婆婆纳。整体上随土壤层次的增加种子库存量相对减少,冬季活力种子萌发量最少;就物种多样性而言,种子库Shannon-W iener指数和Simpson指数均表现为Ⅱ>Ⅰ>Ⅲ>Ⅳ。