Indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aciculosporium take</Emphasis>, a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo

 Aciculosporium take (Ascomycota; Clavicipitaceae) is a causal agent of witches' broom of bamboo plants. The symptoms of this disease are believed to be induced by plant hormones, particularly auxins. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was identified in cultures of this fungus in an l-tryptophan-supplemented liquid medium. IAA production was confirmed on 30 isolates of A. take from various hosts and locations at levels up to 1 mg/l. The biosynthetic pathway of IAA in A. take culture was examined by analyzing intermediate products and by feeding experiments. The results showed that the indole-3-pyruvic acid pathway (l-tryptophan → indole-3-pyruvic acid → indole acetaldehyde → IAA) was the dominant pathway in A. take. Received: June 3, 2002 / Accepted: July 25, 2002     

Inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth by root-infecting fungi in soil of a rice paddy field

 Rice seedling growth, estimated by plant height and root development and discoloration, was better in pasteurized soil than in unpasteurized soil obtained from a flooded rice field. Rice seedlings also grew better in sterilized soil modified by adding roots harvested from the pasteurized soil than in soil modified by adding roots harvested from the unpasteurized soil. The results demonstrate that seedling growth in the rice field soil was inhibited by soil microorganisms, even though no typical symptoms such as seedling blight or damping-off appeared. Pythium aristosporum is suggested to be involved in the inhibition. Thus, it appears that inconspicuous restraint of rice seedling growth could occur in soils of rice paddy fields. Received: May 20, 2002 / Accepted: October 16, 2002 Acknowledgments The authors thank Dr. T. Ichitani, former professor at Osaka Prefectural University, for providing an isolate of Pythium aristosporum for comparison, and Mr. Mitsuaki Sato of Akita Prefectural College of Agriculture for technical assistance.     

亚洲玉米螟大量饲养中微孢子虫病控制技术

利用与人工饲料相混合的方法，比较了不同剂量的烟曲霉素B对亚洲玉米螟微孢子虫病的控制效果。结果表明，烟曲霉素B453、565和683μg/g的剂量处理都显著降低了亚洲玉米螟微孢子虫病的感染率和感染强度。食药1代时，幼虫和成虫感染率分别比对照平均减少44．4％—61．1％和41．7％—50％，其感染强度都由原来的严重感染分别下降为轻度感染。幼虫存活率、化蛹率、成虫繁殖力也均显著高于对照。连续处理3代饲喂烟曲霉素B对玉米螟生长发育没有不利影响，对微孢子虫病的控制作用随处理世代数的增加亦有增加的趋势。不同剂量的烟曲霉素B处理间的防效差异不显著，453μg/g可作为亚洲玉米螟大量饲养中控制微孢子虫病的推荐剂量。     

大白菜细胞核雄性不育基因向自交系97A407的转育

根据复等位基因遗传假说 ,利用大白菜核不育系 9810 9和已知基因型的甲型两用系可育株 99135 2作为不育源 ,以大白菜自交系 97A40 7为目标亲本 ,经过 5个世代的转育 ,获得了具有 97A40 7遗传基因型的新甲型两用系、临时保持系和雄性不育系。     

小麦印度腥黑穗病菌在中国适生性的初步研究

本文依据小麦印度腥黑穗病菌的生物学特性，及世界各主要小麦产区的地理气候资料，利用地理信息系统对该病菌的适生性进行了研究。结果表明，小麦印度腥黑穗病菌适生气候条件为：大于零度以上的有效积温≥１３００日度；１年中最冷月的平均温度≤２０℃；小麦抽穗扬花期间的平均温度为７℃～２９℃，平均大气相对湿度≥４８％。     

退化草地群落演替趋向研究进展

草地群落的退化演替以植物个体、种群与群落层次上植物的动态以及土壤理化性状的改变等现象为表征。主要从植物个体形态特征、草地退化模式、草地土壤养分变化等方面对退化的响应,探讨了草地退化演替的特征和趋势,建议今后对草地的退化演替机理、放牧生态学、恢复生态学、界面生态学及草地的价值评估等方面进行更深入的研究。     

京郊保护地秋季番茄的氮素供应及利用

研究了氮素供应水平对保护地番茄产量、养分吸收和氮素利用的影响。结果表明,氮素供应量(N)为225kg·hm~(-2)时番茄的产量最高,但随着施氮量的增加,番茄产量反而有所下降。增施氮肥对番茄地上部N、P、K的吸收没有明显的影响。在京郊传统生产条件下,保护地番茄生产相对合适的氮素供应水平(播前根层起始土壤无机氮含量+化学氮素用量)为510 kg·hm~(-2),但如果考虑番茄生长期间土壤氮素的矿化作用,番茄生产的氮素供应水平应为584kg·hm~(-2)。     

Functional heterogeneity in resources within landscapes and herbivore population dynamics

Large mammalian herbivores are notorious for their propensity towards population irruptions and crashes, yet many herbivore populations remain relatively stable. I explore how resource heterogeneity within landscapes dampens population instability, using a metaphysiological modelling approach considering patch state distributions. Resource heterogeneity is functionally stabilizing through spreading consumption away from preferred resources before these become critically depleted. Lower-quality resources act as a buffer against starvation during critical periods of the seasonal cycle. Enriching resource quality is destabilizing, even if patch diversity is maintained, because food quantity then becomes the limitation. The potential consequences of landscape fragmentation are explored using the Serengeti ecosystem, characterised by broadscale resource gradients, as a hypothetical example. Further insights provided by the model are illustrated with specific examples concerning the effects of patch scales and waterpoint distribution. A metaphysiological modelling approach enables the basic consequences of landscape heterogeneity to be distinguished from further effects that may arise from specific patch scales and configurations, without the distracting detail of spatially explicit models.     

Validation of the specificity and sensitivity of species-specific primers that provide a reliable molecular diagnostic for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xiphinema diversicaudatum</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. index</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">X. vuittenezi</Emphasis>

Xiphinema diversicaudatum and X. index are vector nematode species of economic importance in viticulture regions as they can transmit Arabis Mosaic, Grapevine Fanleaf and Strawberry Latent Ringspot viruses to grapevine. Wang et al. (2003) designed species-specific diagnostic primers from ribosomal genes for both these vector species as well as a vector and a non-vector species X. italiae and X. vuittenezi, respectively. Our study aimed to confirm the specificity and determine the sensitivity and reliability of the primers for the two vector species, X. diversicaudatumand X. indexwhen challenged with closely related longidorid species and general nematode communities typical of vineyard soil. With one exception, no PCR product was observed when the primers were tested against six Longidorus, one Paralongidorus and one Xiphinema non-target species. Occasionally (three out of eight replicate PCR reactions) a weak PCR product was noted when primers for X. index were tested with L. elongatus. Furthermore, when challenged with a range of non-target nematode species comprising the nematode community typical of viticulture soil, no PCR product was amplified. An experimental dilution series of extracted DNA rigorously demonstrated that DNA from an equivalent single specimen of the target virus-vector species, X. diversicaudatum and/or X. index, could be detected amongst 1000 equivalent non-targetX. vuittenezi. Also, extracted DNA from an equivalent single target specimen was detected when added to DNA extracted from the overall soil nematode community. The primers were assessed further by using serial mixtures of actual nematodes rather than extracted DNA to simulate field soil. Using this method, a single target nematode could be detected amongst 200 non-target specimens. Given their specificity, sensitivity and reliability, it appears that these diagnostic primers will be of great benefit to phytosanitary/quarantine services related to the viticulture industry.