Australian Uromyces viciae-fabae: Host and nonhost interaction among cultivated grain legumes

Uromyces viciae-fabae, rust of faba bean, parasitizes other legume crops such as lentils (Lens culinaris) and field peas (Pisum sativum) in some environments. In this study we examined the host range of two Australian isolates of U. viciae-fabae collected and purified from a faba bean crop and classified as U. viciae-fabae ex V. faba. Field pea (P. sativum), chickpea (Cicer arientinum), lupin (Lupinus spp.), lentil (L. culinaris), and mung bean (Vigna radiata) genotypes were tested with these isolates, as well as resistant and susceptible genotypes of the faba bean host. Race specificity for these two pathogen isolates was observed on Vicia faba, with two faba bean genotypes showing partial resistance. Both U. viciae-fabae isolates also colonized field pea seedlings and successfully produced uredinia under glasshouse conditions, despite this fungus not being known as a pathogen of Australian field pea crops. No sporulation of either isolate of U. viciae-fabae ex V. faba was observed on any of the remaining legume species tested. However, obvious differences in fungal growth were observed, ranging from small infection sites with very rare haustorium formation in mung bean to more extensive growth and the development of potential uredinial structures in chickpea. These observations are discussed in relation to the phylogenetic relationship of these host and nonhost species.     

Physicochemical Characteristics of Biochars Derived From Corn,Hardwood, Miscanthus,and Horse Manure Biomasses

Biochar, a carbon-rich by-product of biomass pyrolysis, is widely recognized as a potential ingredient for soil amendment, fertility, and carbon sequestration owing to its favorable physicochemical properties. The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical and physical properties of biochars produced through pyrolysis at 450°C from agricultural residues available in Northwest Missouri, namely hardwood (HW), corn stover (CR), miscanthus (MS), and horse manure (HM). These properties were assessed through the analysis of pyrolysis yield, pH, volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash and carbon (C), hydrogen (H), sulfur (S), nitrogen (N) contents, trace metal concentrations, surface morphology, surface functional groups, bulk density, and water holding capacity. The biochars derived from HW, MS and CR materials showed high volatile-matter (33–42%), high fixed carbon contents (42–47%), very low ash contents (6–15%), and low bulk density (0.14–0.28 g cm^?3) as compared to that of HM. A wide range of trace elements was observed in biochar samples with significant differences in concentrations. In addition, CR, HW and MS biochars displayed a disordered graphitic-like structure with well-developed pores and surface areas of 23, 70 and 90 m²/g respectively, and high water-holding capacity up to 750%, indicating their potential application as a soil amendment.     

An artificial inoculation protocol for Uromycladium acaciae,cause of a serious disease of Acacia mearnsii in southern Africa

Uromycladium acaciae is the cause of a severe wattle rust epidemic in plantations of Acacia mearnsii (black wattle) in southern Africa. Research on the biology of this damaging rust is assisting in the development of control strategies. One strategy under investigation is the identification and deployment of resistant lines of A. mearnsii. Selection of resistant families currently relies on large-scale, time-consuming and expensive field trials. In this study, we present a detailed artificial inoculation protocol for U. acaciae, which can be used to screen for resistance. The results of an experiment that used the protocol to screen the relative resistance of 12 families of A. mearnsii to U. acaciae are also presented. The developed artificial inoculation protocol can also be used to investigate several other aspects of this host–pathogen system.     

Assessing seed desiccation responses of native trees in the Caribbean

New Forests - Native trees from the Caribbean were tested for seed desiccation responses, by adapting the “100-seed test” protocol. Ninety-seven seed lots of 91 species were collected...     

Habitat analysis of the commercial tuna of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean

We have extracted information on the habitats of bigeye (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean by matching the spatial‐temporal distribution of catch and effort of purse seine and longline fleets collected by the Inter‐American Tropical Tuna Commission with oceanographic conditions and subjecting the matched data to Quotient Analysis and General Additive Models (GAMs). These analyses yielded the following results. The habitats defined by the GAM analysis of young fish differ significantly between two periods, one before and one after the introduction of fish aggregation devices (FADs). This was not true for the older fish caught by longline. We speculate that these changes were caused by the extensive use of FADs. Younger bigeye and yellowfin caught by the purse seine fleet have a different preference of environmental variables compared to older fish caught by longline. This is to be expected since tuna of different age groups have different sizes, metabolic capabilities and swimming skills. Moreover, as revealed by GAMs, the habitats of young fish differ between species to a much larger degree than those of older fish. Our results indicate the fundamental differences between fishing methods, targeted species, and operating region of the two fisheries. Specifically, young bigeye occupy equatorial waters farther from the coast and where the hypoxic layer is deeper, young skipjack occupy more productive waters associated with equatorial and coastal upwelling, and young yellowfin occupy broad areas where waters are underlain by a shallow hypoxic layer.     

Microbial indicators for soil quality

The living soil is instrumental to key life support functions (LSF) that safeguard life on Earth. The soil microbiome has a main role as a driver of these LSF. Current global developments, like anthropogenic threats to soil (e.g., via intensive agriculture) and climate change, pose a burden on soil functioning. Therefore, it is important to dispose of robust indicators that report on the nature of deleterious changes and thus soil quality. There has been a long debate on the best selection of biological indicators (bioindicators) that report on soil quality. Such indicators should ideally describe organisms with key functions in the system, or with key regulatory/connecting roles (so-called keystone species). However, in the light of the huge functional redundancy in most soil microbiomes, finding specific keystone markers is not a trivial task. The current rapid development of molecular (DNA-based) methods that facilitate deciphering microbiomes with respect to key functions will enable the development of improved criteria by which molecular information can be tuned to yield molecular markers of soil LSF. This review critically examines the current state-of-the-art in molecular marker development and recommends avenues to come to improved future marker systems.     

The effect of β‐1,3‐glucan derived from Euglena gracilis (Algamune™) on the innate immunological responses of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

Algamune^? is a commercial additive produced from Euglena gracilis, providing a rich source of the β‐1,3‐glucan paramylon. Isolated kidney phagocytes of Nile tilapia were incubated with graded doses (0, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 μg/ml) of Algamune^? and purified paramylon to gauge their ability to elicit the production of reactive oxygen species. A linear response was observed for extracellular superoxide anion for both sources but only Algamune^? for intracellular superoxide anion. After corroborating the immunostimulant properties ex vivo, a feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the dietary supplementation of Algamune^? (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg of diet) for Nile tilapia. Fish were fed for 3 weeks, after which, fish were sampled for blood and head kidney phagocytes. The remaining fish were challenged with Streptococcus iniae. Macrophage extracellular superoxide anion production was significantly elevated in fish fed diets with 200 mg of Algamune^? kg^?1 when compared to fish fed the basal diet. Even though the disease challenge did not show statistical differences, it is worth mentioning that fish fed intermediate doses of Algamune^? had lowest numerical mortality values. Therefore, Algamune^? was demonstrated to enhance some immunological responses of tilapia both in ex vivo and in vivo.     

Physical forcing on fish abundance in the southern California Current System

The California Current System (CCS) is an eastern boundary current system with strong biological productivity largely due to seasonal wind‐driven upwelling and transport of the California Current (CC). Two independent, yet complementary time series, CalCOFI ichthyoplankton surveys and sampling of southern California power plant cooling‐water intakes, have indicated that an assemblage of predominantly cool‐water affinity fishes spanning nearshore to oceanic environments in the southern CCS has declined dramatically from the 1970s to the 2000s. We examined potential oceanographic drivers behind this decline both within and north of the CalCOFI survey area in order to capture upstream processes as well. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses using output from a data‐assimilative regional ocean model revealed significant relationships between the fish time series and spatial patterns of upwelling, upper ocean heat content and eddy kinetic energy in the CCS. Correlation and linear regression analyses indicated that the declining trend in fish abundance was correlated with a suite of factors: reduced offshore and increased inshore upwelling; a long term warming trend combined with more recent interannual variability in ocean temperature; weaker eddy kinetic energy north of Point Conception (35°N), potentially indicating reduced transport of the California Current (CC); increased influence of the California Undercurrent (CUC); and a decline in zooplankton displacement volume across the southern CCS. Understanding how changes in oceanography affect fish populations will offer insights into managing fisheries in a changing climate.