Actinomycetes in organic mulch used in avocado plantations and their ability to suppress Phytophthora cinnamomi

Actinomycetes isolated from the organic mulch used in avocado plantations in Western Australia were studied to examine their ability to suppress Phytophthora cinnamomi. All the 1600 isolates tested inhibited the pathogen in vitro with inhibition rates of >0.5. The inhibition rates achieved by actinomycetes isolated from fresh and pathogen-infested mulch were not significantly different, but the isolates tested differed in their ability to suppress the pathogen and/or the disease. Some of the isolates that inhibited the pathogen were also harmful to plant growth.     

Nitrogen mineralization from eucalyptus yardwaste mulch applied to young avocado trees

Consistent use of mulches over several years can provide significant N to avocado. Study of a 3-year-old Ventura, California, avocado orchard mulched annually for 3 years with 12–14 Mg ha^–1 chipped eucalyptus showed that total N in the mulched soil was double that of the control. Mulched intact soil cores released 53 kg ha^–1 more N annually than control treatments. A litterbag study showed that net mineralization of the applied mulch commenced approximately 8.5 months following application. Mulched soils tended to be warmer and moister than control soils and temperatures varied less. Laboratory incubations of mulch and soil layers showed that net mineralization rates (mg kg^–1 day^–1) were greatest in the lowest decomposed mulch layer, but that more N mineralized overall (g m²) in the soil due to its greater density.     

氮、磷、钾不同配方施肥组合对油梨苗木生长的影响

研究氮、磷、钾不同配方施肥组合对油梨幼苗生长的影响,为油梨优质苗木的生产提供理论基础。采用3因素3水平正交试验设计,通过综合苗高、地径、根系活力以及干物质质量等测定结果来确定最佳的配方施肥组合。结果表明,各个配方组合对油梨幼苗生长均有一定的促进作用,对油梨幼苗干物质积累、地径和根系活力等促进效果最好的组合为N_2P_3K_2,即尿素1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙1.0 g/kg,硫酸钾0.25g/kg;对油梨幼苗苗高促进作用最好的组合为N2P3K1,即尿素1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙1.0 g/kg,硫酸钾0.125 g/kg。综合考虑各项指标,试验得到的最优配方施肥组合为N_2P_1K_1,即尿素为1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙0.25 g/kg,硫酸钾0.125 g/kg,N∶P_2O_5∶K_2O约12∶1∶2。     

氮、磷、钾不同配方施肥组合对油梨苗木生长的影响

研究氮、磷、钾不同配方施肥组合对油梨幼苗生长的影响,为油梨优质苗木的生产提供理论基础。采用3因素3水平正交试验设计,通过综合苗高、地径、根系活力以及干物质质量等测定结果来确定最佳的配方施肥组合。结果表明,各个配方组合对油梨幼苗生长均有一定的促进作用,对油梨幼苗干物质积累、地径和根系活力等促进效果最好的组合为N2P3K2,即尿素1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙1.0 g/kg,硫酸钾0.25 g/kg;对油梨幼苗苗高促进作用最好的组合为N2P3K1,即尿素1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙1.0 g/kg,硫酸钾0.125 g/kg。 综合考虑各项指标,试验得到的最优配方施肥组合为N2P1K1,即尿素为1.0 g/kg,过磷酸钙0.25 g/kg,硫酸钾0.125 g/kg,N∶P2O5∶K2O约12∶1∶2。     

油梨开花物候的研究

研究结果表明,油梨嫁接苗在定植后第三、四年可在海南正常生长并开花,开花期一般在２月上中旬至４月上中旬;油梨小花开放两开两合,第１次开放雌蕊成熟,第２次开放雄蕊成熟,整个过程历时约２４￣３６ｈ;油梨异常花比例高,在２０％以上;有限花序仅在部分油梨品种中出现,比例很低,一般在３％以下。根据部分油梨品种的开花物候特点,确定了部分油梨授粉品种的搭配。     

Antagonistic yeasts with potential to control Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. and Colletotrichum acutatum J.H. Simmonds on avocado fruits

Avocado is an economically important fruit that is severely affected by anthracnose disease due to the infection with Colletotrichum spp. In this study, avocado fruits with anthracnose symptoms were collected in Morelos, Mexico. Two phytopathogenic fungi were isolated from these fruits and identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Colletotrichum acutatum using ITS sequences. Further, eleven yeasts from avocado (three from fruits, four from leaves and four from rhizospheric soil) were isolated; of which three showed in vitro antagonistic activity against C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum. ITS sequence analysis of the isolated yeasts revealed that the strains obtained from fruits belonged to Candida intermedia while those isolated from leaves belonged to Wickerhamomyces anomalus. C. intermedia reduced disease incidence caused only by C. gloeosporioides, whereas, W. anomalus caused a significant reduction in the incidence and severity of disease caused by both C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the antagonistic activity of W. anomalus or C. intermedia against Colletotrichum acutatum. Thus, W. anomalus is a potential natural alternative for controlling anthracnose infection and associated loss in avocado crops.     

Relationships between canopy size,light interception and productivity in conventional avocado planting systems

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is a relatively under-developed tree crop, grown commercially in climates ranging from tropical to temperate. Orchard productivity across a broad range of tree crops has been demonstrated to be related to total light interception. However, little information is currently available for avocado. Here we document the relationships between canopy volume per hectare, total orchard light interception and yield per ha for avocados of cultivar ‘Hass’ grown in low density planting systems. Total orchard light interception increased with canopy volume, with increases in light interception per unit canopy volume becoming smaller at the higher levels of canopy volume/ha. Yield/ha increased with light interception and canopy volume up to approximately 80–84% total light interception and 30,000–35,000 m³ canopy volume/ha. It is unclear whether the trend in yield/ ha at the very highest measured levels of orchard light interception and canopy volume should be described as plateauing or declining. Mean fruit weight decreased as light interception increased, although the relationship varied between seasons. For these conventional planting systems there is no yield benefit from increasing canopy light interception above 80–84%, and there may be yield decline at higher levels of orchard light interception.     

澳洲坚果果实生长发育及落果的探讨

在湛江，５ｍ以前澳洲坚果果实的生长最快，落果也最多，至７ｍ末８ｍ中还有一个落果的小高峰。果实的发育可分为５个阶段，花后１１０－１４０ｄ果实已基本充实，油的积累最快，含油量达７０％左右，以后趋向稳定直至成熟采收。     

Effect of phosphonate on the rhizosphere microflora and the development of root rot (Phytophthora cinnamomi) in avocado (Persea americana) and pepper-corn (Schinus molle) tree seedlings

Summary Application to soil of 1 g (recommended rate) or 10 g l^-1 of phosphonate did not affect the numbers of bacteria and fungi nor the proportions of actinomycetes and fungi antagonistic to Phytophthora cinnamomi. Foliar phosphonate applications to avocado seedlings (Persea americana) did not affect microbial numbers or the proportions of microbes in the rhizosphere capable of antagonizing P. cinnamomi. Mycelium of P. cinnamomi and zoospores of P. palmivora did not appear to respond to diffusates from excised roots of phosphonate-treated avocado and pepper-corn tree (Schinus molle) seedlings, respectively. However, less extensive lesions were observed on the roots of fungicide-treated avocado and pepper-corn tree seedlings exposed to P. cinnamomi and P. palmivora, respectively. The reduction in P. cinnamomi infection on pepper-corn tree seedlings appears to be brought about by additive rather than interactive effects of the resident soil microflora and foliar-applied phosphonate.