Effects of selective cutting and timing of herbicide application on growth and development of Cirsium arvense in spring barley

Recently, a new implement for controlling weeds in cereals (CombCut) has been developed. It cuts weeds in growing cereals without damaging them by using the physical differences (in height, stem thickness, straw stiffness and branching pattern) between crops and weeds. To evaluate and compare the effects of selective cutting with different timings of herbicide application on Cirsium arvense in spring barley, a randomised block experiment was conducted in Sweden in 2015–2017, in a field with a naturally occurring C. arvense population. Treatments consisted of control (C), herbicide application at 4–5‐leaf stage of C. arvense (H1), herbicide application at 8–10‐leaf stage (H2) and selective cutting at 10‐leaf stage (S). The treatments were performed in 2015 and repeated in 2016 in the same plots, and a final evaluation was performed in 2017. Compared to the control, S, H1 and H2 were equally efficient in reducing above‐ground biomass production of C. arvense and increasing spring barley grain yield per unit area. The number of C. arvense shoots per area was, however, higher in S compared to H1 and H2. No differences in control effects on shoot number were observed between H1 and H2. Our study indicates that (i) selective cutting (S) reduces C. arvense equally efficient as herbicide application and (ii) early herbicide spraying is as efficient as spraying later in the season.     

Considering the preferences for nitrogen forms by invasive plants: a case study from a hydroponic culture experiment

Although preference for NH₄⁺, NO₃^? or a combination of the two often differs among species, we know little about the responses of invasive plants to different inorganic N forms. Furthermore, many studies have suggested that an increase in N availability may facilitate further invasions. However, most of these studies predicted the positive feedback without considering the preference for N forms of invasive plants. Therefore, we cultivated four common invasive species (Mikania micrantha, Ipomoea cairica, Wedelia trilobata and Bidens pilosa) in South China with hydroponic media containing different forms of N (i.e. NO₃^?, NH₄NO₃ and NH₄⁺) at equimolar concentrations. Our results showed that the N forms significantly affected the growth, biomass allocation and physiological traits of the plants. All four invasive plants supplied with NO₃^? alone had better performance and greater allocation to root biomass than did plants that were supplied with NH₄⁺ alone. Moreover, the photosynthetic rate, pigment content and photosystem II activity of plants supplied with NO₃^? or NH₄NO₃ were significantly higher than those of plants supplied with NH₄⁺alone. The results suggested that all four invasive plants preferred NO₃^? rather than NH₄⁺, and changes in NO₃^? played an important role in furthering the invasions of these plants than did changes in NH₄⁺. Our results implied that decreasing NO₃^? may be a useful tool for controlling and managing invasive plants preferring NO₃^?. In addition, this study highlighted the importance of considering plant N form preference to better understand plant invasions.     

Invasive black spiny‐tailed iguanas (Ctenosaura similis) on Gasparilla Island,Florida, USA

The native range of Ctenosaura similis extends from southern Mexico through Panama. From an initial introduction of 3 animals in 1979, the species now numbers in the thousands on Gasparilla Island in southwest Florida. In response to complaints of property damage from residents and threats to native species, local officials and the US Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services began a removal program in 2008. Through 2011, trappers removed 9467 ctenosaurs. The number removed declined from 32 iguanas/day in 2008 to 1.9 iguanas/day in 2011 despite no easing of the control effort. We necropsied 2757 ctenosaurs to document aspects of their natural history. Females outnumbered males overall, although the largest size class (>300 mm snout–vent length) included 32 males and just 2 females. Reproduction was seasonal. We found oviducal eggs in females from early Apr to early Jun, approximately 2 months later than C. similis in its native range. We trapped hatchlings from late Jul to early Oct coincident with the summer rainy season. Clutch size increased with female body size, with 62 being the largest clutch size recorded. In general, the biology of the invasive population on Gasparilla Island resembles native C. similis populations in Central America, except for the lack of large individuals. We suggest that shorter day length and colder temperatures create environmental conditions that are suboptimal for individual growth compared to those in the native range.     

入侵昆虫基因组研究进展

随着全球贸易的加速发展,入侵物种对农林业、生态环境及人类健康的威胁日益严重。基因组学研究为阐明外来有害生物入侵的分子机制与生态适应性过程以及研发新型防控技术提供了新手段、新平台与大数据。本文综述了入侵昆虫基因组学研究的发展现状,系统总结了基因/基因家族、转座子/重复序列等基因组信息在决定昆虫入侵性中的重要作用,着力探讨了基因组学研究在助力害虫RNAi、昆虫不育技术(SIT)、化学生态防治和物理防治等防控新技术/新产品开发方面的潜力,并展望了基因组学研究应用于入侵昆虫综合防控的前景。     

植保无人机在江苏农垦稻麦病虫草害防治中的应用及展望

植保无人机作为一种新型施药工具,以作业高效安全、节水省药环保等特点于近几年迅速发展,并已广泛应用于农作物病虫草害防治。本综述重点对我国植保无人机的施药发展现状、近年来江苏农垦植保无人机的应用情况和植保无人机应用过程中存在的问题进行阐述,并对植保无人机应用的未来发展趋势进行展望。     

Phytophthora oleae,a new root pathogen of wild olives

Wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) is an important component of Mediterranean forests and a key genetic source for olive improvement programmes. Since 2009, a severe decline caused by Phytophthora cryptogea and P. megasperma has been detected in a protected wild olive forest of high ecological value (Dehesa de Abajo, Seville, Spain). In this natural forest, sampling of roots and soil was carried out on 25 wild olives with symptoms in 2014 and 2015. Apart from the already known P. cryptogea A1 and P. megasperma, a third Phytophthora species was consistently isolated from wild olive rootlets with symptoms. These isolates conformed morphologically with the newly described species P. oleae and were confirmed by analysis of their ITS regions and cox1 sequences. Temperature–growth relationships showed a maximum growth at 19.9 °C on carrot agar medium, making it the lowest temperature Phytophthora species infecting wild olive roots. Pathogenicity was confirmed on 1-year-old healthy wild olive seedlings and was similar to the previously known pathogenic phytophthoras. As temperature requirements are quite different, the three Phytophthora species may be active against wild olive roots in different seasons. However, the prevalence of P. oleae infecting wild olives in recent years could be due to its introduction as a new invasive pathogen. The probable invasive nature of P. oleae, together with increasing rain episodes concentrated in short periods frequent in southern Spain, would allow the outbreak of infections in wild olive forests, and also put cultivated olive orchards at risk.     

内蒙古外来入侵物种及其对草原的影响

生物入侵严重威胁着内蒙古草原的生物多样性和生态安全。目前,内蒙古地区乃至于全国对外来物种只重引进、疏于管理,导致外来物种逃逸到自然环境中,造成潜在的环境灾害。本研究据文献查阅以及中国外来入侵物种数据库信息,整理分析内蒙古境内分布的外来入侵物种的种类、来源地、侵入途径及对草原的危害状况,并对内蒙古草原应对外来物种入侵提出了相应的防控措施。根据统计,外来入侵植物中的牛膝菊(Galinsoga parviflora)和光梗蒺藜草(Cenchrus calyculatus)已表现出蔓延趋势,其他物种有待进一步的调查。     

Influences of population density,temperature and latitude on the growth of invasive topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva

Plasticity in life‐history traits provides advantages for introduced fish in overcoming demographic bottlenecks that would otherwise inhibit establishment. Here, the influence of population density, temperature and latitude was tested on the growth increments and growth rates of invasive populations of topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, a small Asian cyprinid fish that is invasive across Europe. Aquaria experiments tested the roles of fish number and temperature on growth increments under a fixed food supply, pond experiments tested the role of density on growth increments, and a field study completed in England and Wales tested the influence of density and latitude on growth rates. In aquaria experiments, whilst growth increments were higher at 21 and 23 °C than at 19 and 25 °C, fish number had a greater influence on growth than temperature. Higher growth increments were produced at lower densities. In experimental ponds, growth increments were significantly higher in ponds with low densities of P. parva compared with those at elevated densities. In the field study comprising 10 wild populations across a latitudinal gradient of 4.0°N, a difference in mean air temperatures of approximately 3 °C, and estimated densities between 0.5 and 65.0 m^?2, population density was the only significant predictor of growth rates. Whilst populations at very low densities comprised of significantly faster growing individuals, there were no significant differences when densities were between 15 and 65 m^?2. Thus, invasive P. parva populations have considerable growth plasticity, especially at low densities, with this likely to be important in their ability to colonise new environments.