覆膜玉米不同生育期土壤酶活性对大气CO2浓度升高的响应

为探讨旱区覆膜玉米农田土壤酶活性对未来气候变化的响应,在田间条件下通过改进的开顶式气室(OTC)系统自动控制大气CO_2浓度,设置自然大气CO_2浓度(CK)、OTC对照(OTC)、OTC系统自动控制CO_2浓度(700μmol·mol~(-1),OTC+CO_2)3个处理,研究了旱区覆膜高产栽培春玉米播前、六叶期(V6)、十二叶期(V12)、吐丝期(R1)、乳熟期(R3)及完熟期(R6)土壤脲酶、碱性磷酸酶、蔗糖酶及过氧化氢酶活性对大气CO_2浓度升高的响应特征。研究发现:OTC处理条件下,土壤碱性磷酸酶活性相比CK在V12期降低8.80%(P0.05),而在R6期提高8.95%(P0.05);蔗糖酶活性在播前、V6、R1期降低12.65%～21.43%(P0.05),R3期升高17.50%(P0.05);过氧化氢酶活性在V12、R1、R6期均显著降低。大气CO_2浓度升高对玉米各生育期土壤脲酶活性均无显著影响;使R1、R6期碱性磷酸酶活性降低8.74%和6.39%(P0.05);使V6、R3期蔗糖酶活性升高30.18%和18.37%(P0.05);此外,增加了V12期过氧化氢酶活性,而降低了R3期过氧化氢酶活性。结果表明:当前旱作覆膜高产栽培模式下,大气CO_2浓度升高对春玉米农田土壤酶活性的影响因作物生育期和酶种类不同而异;土壤酶活性对OTC及大气CO_2浓度升高的响应程度不一,在当前试验条件下,OTC对土壤酶活性的影响较大气CO_2浓度升高更为显著。     

Comparative performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies under different nutrient and light conditions

Invasive plants may be more plastic than non‐invasive plants and maintain high fitness under various environmental conditions. Previous studies mainly focused on the comparisons between invasive and native plants, and comparisons between highly invasive and less invasive exotic species are still relatively rare, especially for comparisons at the subspecies level. This study examined the effects of nutrient addition and shading on the performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies M. invisa var. inermis under either isolated or competitive conditions. Nutrient addition increased biomass and plant height and decreased root‐to‐shoot ratio (R/S). Shading decreased biomass and R/S and increased plant height. Under isolated conditions, the two invaders did not differ in R/S, plant height and plasticity of these traits in response to nutrient addition or shading, and the two invaders also did not differ in biomass production under each of the nutrient and light treatments. When the two invaders competed with each other, M. invisa outcompeted M. invisa var. inermis under high soil nutrient conditions, and the two invaders did not differ in performance under other growth conditions. Thus, only considering competition may we find out the difference between highly invasive species and their closely related, less invasive subspecies. Management of M. invisa should focus on habitats with high soil nutrient availability, in which M. invisa is more likely to dominate.     

Crude garlic extract significantly inhibits replication of grapevine viruses

Efforts to control viral diseases of grapevine include the production of certified material and development of virus-resistant transgenic grapevines. However, effective antiviral agents, once the viruses have infected the plants, are still lacking. This study shows that a crude garlic extract has significant antiviral activity against grapevine viruses. Replication of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 (GLRaV-2) was obviously inhibited in grapevine cv. Cabernet Sauvignon calli treated with diluted (1:100) garlic extract. The relative RNA levels of GLRaV-2 and grapevine fleck virus (GFkV) in cv. Summer Black grapevine in in vitro-grown plantlets 10 days after treatment with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 22% and 20%, respectively, of that in controls. The viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-2, GFkV, grapevine virus A (GVA), grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) and grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV) in field-grown grapevine cv. Centennial Seedless plants sprayed with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 31–40%, 26–38%, 18–31%, 17–42% and 15–18%, respectively, of that in controls. Moreover, the garlic extract treatment led to a significant decrease in viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-3, GLRaV-2, GVA, GFkV, GFLV, GRSPaV and grapevine Pinot Gris virus in pot-grown grapevine cv. Shine Muscat plants, and viral disease symptoms in these plants were obviously attenuated. In addition, this extract significantly induced expression of pathogenesis-related protein genes and stimulated activity of antioxidant enzymes in grapevines. Taken together, these results indicate that the crude garlic extract acts as a significant inhibitor against a broad range of grapevine viruses.     

Phytophagous insect fauna of Onopordum spp. thistles in the south of Syria

Thistles from the genus Onopordum (Asteraceae) are of Mediterranean and Eurasian origin. They are very common in the south of Syria, in particular in Damascus and Al Suwayda, and are found in fallow fields, pastures, roadsides and neglected areas. In 2015–2017, several sites with large populations of Onopordum spp. were identified. Weekly surveys of some of the sites, mainly in the regions of Damascus and Al Suwayda, revealed a significant diversity of phytophagous insect species, some of which had a very high population density. A total of 29 insect species were detected, belonging to four orders and 21 families. The most abundant species were from the order Coleoptera. These were observed to be feeding on different plant parts of Onopordum spp. Purely endophagous species comprised 38% of the species observed on Onopordum spp., ectophagous species comprised 45% with 17% of species mixed ectophagous and endophagous. Species that only fed on Onopordum spp. represented 34% of all the species observed.     

黄土高原不同植被类型对土壤养分、酶活性及微生物的影响

[目的]研究黄土高原不同植被类型对土壤酶活性、土壤养分和土壤微生物的影响,为该地区植被建设提供参考。[方法]根据研究区特点,选择4种(草地、柠条、杨树、蒿地)植被类型,采用SPSS软件分析各样地之间和同一样地土壤剖面不同层次的土壤酶活性和养分差异显著性和相关性,采用Canoco对微生物与环境因子进行分析。[结果](1)不同植被类型下,随土层深度的增加土壤酶活性与土壤养分均呈降低趋势。蒿地中酶活性最高,草地pH值随土层深度的增加而增加,表土层有机碳含量最高。硝态氮和铵态氮含量分别在杨树、柠条地块最高。(2)土壤养分间存在显著或极显著性相关,而土壤酶活性间存在极显著性相关。土壤酶活性与土壤有机碳、硝态氮之间都存在显著和极显著性相关。(3)表层(0—10cm)土壤微生物在门水平上多样性高。真菌第Ⅰ簇菌属与土壤pH值、硝态氮、铵态氮呈正相关,与土壤酶活性呈负相关;第Ⅱ簇菌属与土壤酶活性呈正相关关系,而与硝态氮、铵态氮、有机碳、pH值呈负相关关系;第Ⅰ簇与第Ⅱ,Ⅲ簇真菌群落间呈负相关关系。细菌与酶活性和土壤养分存在正相关和负相关。[结论]不同植被类型影响土壤酶活性、养分及微生物多样性,在植被建设过程中,宜种植蒿草来改善土壤的生态环境。     

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.     

Effect of soil moisture during stratification on dormancy release in seeds of five common weed species

Although the effects of cold stratification on the release of physiological dormancy in seeds have been studied extensively, knowledge of the role of soil moisture content on seed dormancy release during cold stratification is limited. Our study determined seed dormancy characteristics and the effect of soil moisture content on seed dormancy breakage during cold stratification in the five common weed species Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium hybridum, Plantago lanceolata and Setaria glauca. Seeds of all five species were dormant at the time of harvest and their germination response to light and temperature varied. Soil moisture content had a significant effect on seed dormancy release of all species except P. lanceolata. Germination percentage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum increased and then decreased as soil moisture content increased, regardless of germination test temperature. The optimal soil moisture content and seed moisture content for dormancy breakage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum were 8%, 12%, 8% and 22.0%, 37.7%, 25.7% respectively. Dry storage (after‐ripening) significantly increased germination of S. glauca. Moreover, increasing soil moisture content first slowed and then increased dormancy breakage in S. glauca. These results suggest that data on soil moisture content should be incorporated into models that predict weed seed dormancy breakage and timing of seedling emergence as well as those for weed management.     

Viral infection‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and a membrane‐associated transcription factor NbNAC089 are involved in resistance to virus in Nicotiana benthamiana

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress may induce two cell defence pathways, the unfolded protein response (UPR) or programmed cell death (PCD) upon unmitigated stress. This study confirmed that viral infection could induce ER stress through changing ER morphology and up‐regulating ER stress‐related genes, including NbNAC089. AtNAC089 serves as an ER stress sensor to regulate PCD in Arabidopsis. In this study, Nicotiana benthamiana NbNAC089 was identified. The gene encoded a 409 amino acid protein with a putative transmembrane domain near the C‐terminus and a NAC domain at the N‐terminus. NbNAC089 was localized to the ER membranes, and a truncated form of NbNAC089, lacking the transmembrane domain, was localized to the nucleus. Meanwhile, the full length of NbNAC089 was activated and cleaved in response to viral infection. The results suggest that the native protein may be translocated to the nucleus by release from the membrane during viral infection. Knock‐down of NbNAC089 in N. benthamiana increased susceptibility to Tobacco mosaic virus or Cucumber mosaic virus, and, in addition, promoted up‐regulation of UPR genes but impaired up‐regulation of PCD genes. These results show that NbNAC089 is a negative regulator of UPR and a positive regulator of PCD, and plays a role in the process of viral infection.     

Standardization of media and nutrient concentration for coleus (Plectranthus barbatus Andr.) under substrate culture

Coleus (Plectranthus barbatus Andr.) is a medicinal herb whose roots contain forskolin. Incidences of soil-borne diseases, wilt complex and nematodes are the major limiting factors for growing this crop under soil media. Hence, an investigation was initiated for the standardization of soilless growth media and nutrient solution concentration in coleus. Coco peat, vermiculite, sand and their combinations were used as potting media with different concentrations of nutrients based on the recommended dose of fertilizers for soil media (1,080 mg plant^?1 nitrogen, 960 mg plant^?1 phosphorous and 1200 mg plant^?1 potassium). Among the different media and nutrients, plants grown under coco peat media with 80% of the recommended dose of fertilizer for soil (864 mg plant^?1 nitrogen, 768 mg plant^?1 phosphorous and 960 mg plant^?1 potassium) recorded significantly higher root yield (17.10 tha^?1) and quality parameters (0.98% forskolin). Benefit–cost ratio was also recorded maximum (4.25) in the same treatment.