Tephrosia species and provenances for improved fallows in southern Africa

Seeking an alternative to Sesbania spp. tree fallows, a Tephrosia species and provenance trial was conducted at Msekera Research Station, Chipata (Zambia) to evaluate eleven Tephrosia vogelii and three Tephrosia candida provenances. They were tested for biomass production, quality of biomass, resistance to root-knot nematodes, nitrogen release, and for their effects on soil nitrogen dynamics. At the end of 1.5 years, the T. candida provenances 02970, 02971 and 02972 from Madagascar produced two times greater amount of aboveground biomass than the T. vogelii provenances. There was little variability among the T. vogelii provenances in terms of litter and biomass production. Weed growth was significantly greater under T. vogelii than T. candida provenances. While Tephrosia vogelii provenance 98/02 from Zambia and T. candida 02972 were highly tolerant to the Meloidogyne incognita nematodes, T. vogelii provenances 02977, 98/03, 02973 from Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, respectively, were highly susceptible to the nematodes. The Tephrosia species and provenances showed a wide variability in terms of N, lignin and polyphenol concentration in their foliage. Mineralization of N in the foliage of T. candida provenances 02970 and 02971 and T. vogelii provenances 98/04 and 02974 from Malawi occurred rapidly within 14 weeks of incubation. At the end of the 2-year growth period, there was significantly greater total inorganic N under T. candida provenance 02972 (12.5 mg kg⁻¹) than T. vogelii (5 mg kg⁻¹) provenance Mungwi 98/02. Maize (Zea mays L.) yields after T. candida provenances were greater than those after T. vogelii provenances. Further testing of the most promising provenances is needed for their effects on subsequent maize yields under a range of farm conditions. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Responses of soil nematode community structure to soil carbon changes due to different tillage and cover crop management practices over a nine-year period in Kanto,Japan

The response of the soil food web structure to soil quality changes during long-term anthropogenic disturbance due to farming practices has not been well studied. We evaluated the effects of three tillage systems: moldboard plow/rotary harrow (MP), rotary cultivator (RC), and no-tillage (NT), three winter cover-crop types (fallow, FL; rye, RY; and hairy vetch, HV), and two nitrogen fertilization rates (0 and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ for upland rice, and 0 and 20 kg N ha⁻¹ for soybean production) on changes in nematode community structure. Sixty-nine taxa were counted, total nematode abundance (ALL), bacterial feeders (BAC), predators (PRD), omnivores (OMN), and obligatory root feeders (ORF) were more abundant in NT than in MP and RC, but fungal feeders and facultative root feeders (FFR) were more abundant in RC than in NT and MP. Cover crop also influenced nematode community structure; rye and hairy vetch were always higher in ALL, BAC, FFR, ORF, and OMN than fallow. Seasonal changes in nematode community structure were also significant; in particular, as soil carbon increased, nematode abundance also increased. The relationship between nematode indices and soil carbon was significant only in NT, but not in MP and RC. In NT, with increasing soil carbon, enrichment index and structure index (SI) were positive and significant and channel index was negative. Bulk density was significantly negatively correlated with FFR and ORF. Seasonal difference in nematode community between summer and autumn was larger in an upland rice rotation than in a soybean rotation. Over the nine-year experiment, SI increased not only in NT but also in MP and RC, suggesting that repeated similar tillage inversions in agroecosystems may develop nematode community structures adapted to specific soil environmental conditions. Because NT showed the highest values of both SI and soil carbon, the increase of soil carbon in NT is expected to have a great impact on developing a more diverse nematode community structure.     

大豆孢囊线虫病在山西省的发生分布、为害程度和寄主范围

由于大豆孢囊线虫病的危害,山西省大豆产量低而不稳.为了查清病情,由省农科院植保所和省农牧厅植保站主持,各地、市植保站参加,组成山西省大豆孢囊线虫病调查协作组,于1984—1986年先后调查了111个县、区的1681个乡、镇,共取土样2602个,基本查清了大豆孢囊线虫病的发生分布,为害程度和寄主范围.此病已在全省普遍发生,多数为轻病田,少数为重病田.寄主植物多达13种,其中以豆类为主.根据调查结果已编写出《山西省大豆孢囊线虫病发生分布,为害程度和寄主范围名录》,并绘制出《山西省大豆孢囊线虫病分布图》,为科研和防治工作提供了参考和依据.     

大豆孢囊线虫4号生理小种侵染大豆根系诱导表达的cDNA分析

大豆孢囊线虫(Heterodera glycines Ichinohe；Soybean Cyst Nematode，SCN)是一种土传的专性内寄生线虫。SCN的二龄幼虫侵入到大豆幼嫩的根组织中，导致大豆根内的细胞变形并与之形成“合胞体”。合胞体在形态上和生理上的变化是SCN直接诱导大豆基因表达的结果。本研究以高抗SCN的灰布支黑豆为材料，用大豆孢囊线虫二龄幼虫直接接种大豆的根系，应用DDRT—PCR技术及RDB(Reversedot—blotting)杂交鉴定，获得6个阳性cDNA克隆，分别是SCN侵染后5天的A32克隆(GenBank登录号为B1173978)；侵染后10天的B12克隆(GenBank登录号为B1173979)、B71克隆(GenBank登录号为B1173980)；侵染后15天的Cll克隆(GenBank登录号为B1173981)、CPl2(GenBank登录号为B1173982)克隆和CP32克隆(GenBank登录号为B1173983)。序列的同源比较表明，6个cDNA均与Shoemaker构建的大豆基因表达库中的cDNA序列有非常高的同源性，证明这些cDNA是大豆基因表达的产物。其中A32克隆的序列与控制拟南芥下胚轴生长的MYB转录因子、营养元素缺失诱导的番茄根的表达文库中的一个cDNA及番茄抗假单胞杆菌表达文库中的一个cDNA有较高的同源性。     

Nematode diversity and distribution in the southern maritime Antarctic—clues to history?

Nematode worms are one of the most important soil faunal groups in Antarctica. However, relatively little is known about their wider distribution, biogeography and history in the region, and taxonomic information remains confused or incomplete. Here, we hypothesise that the Alexander Island (southern maritime Antarctic) fauna includes elements that have survived (at least) the period of Pleistocene glaciation in situ, forming a regional centre of endemism and biodiversity hotspot. We describe nematological surveys carried out across a latitudinal gradient between 68 and 77°S along the southern Antarctic Peninsula, comparing the data obtained with the maritime Antarctic fauna described in the few previous studies between northern Marguerite Bay and the South Orkney Islands (60-68°S). In general, our survey supports previous findings of a lack of overlap at species level between the maritime and continental Antarctic biogeographical zones, with the large majority of specimens obtained from all survey sites being attributable to known maritime or new and currently endemic taxa. However, collections from Alexander Island, Alamode Island and the most westerly site sampled, Charcot Island, include specimens morphologically very close to two known continental Antarctic species, which may indicate a link between the two regions. The fauna obtained at the northern study sites (ca. 68°S, Adelaide Island, Marguerite Bay) closely matches that described previously. However, in contrast with widely described patterns of decreasing diversity in other Antarctic biota, species richness increased markedly at locations on Alexander Island (ca. 72°S), including a substantial element of undescribed species (50% of taxa across all locations, 40% of taxa found on Alexander Island). Finally, the most southerly samples obtained, from inland nunataks in Ellsworth Land (75-77°S), indicate a fauna that does not include nematodes, which is exceptional not only in an Antarctic context but also for soils worldwide.     

Effect of irrigation on nematode population dynamics and activity in desert soils

Summary The nematode community in litter and soil was examined for a year in the Chihuahuan desert, before and after supplemental rainfall application. Proportions of nematode-active or anhydrobiotic forms and population densities were determined for 3 treatments: control (natural rainfall), a single, large (25-mm) monthly irrigation pulse, and 4 smaller (6-mm) irrigations spaced at weekly intervals. In litter the greatest nematode abundance was in the 6 mm week^–1 treatment (48 nematodes 20 g^–1 litter). Bacteriovores and fungivores accounted for approximately 95% of the numbers and biomass in all treatments. In soil, water amendments had no significant effect (P < 0.05) on annual mean densities of total nematodes, fungivores, bacterivores, or omnivore predators. Phytophage densities were greater on both irrigation treatments, with highest densities (9268 m^–2) in the 6 mm week^–1 soils, which was 5.9% of the total soil nematode density. Total densities of individual trophic groups were not significantly different before or after rainfall. Soil nematode densities fluctuated independently with trophic group, month, and season. Bacterial feeders and omnivore predators were the largest contributor to total soil nematode density and biomass. Prior to irrigation, there were no differences in the percentage of anhydrobiotes on the three treatments. Anhydrobiotes decreased after irrigation in all treatments, and were significantly lower in soils of the larger, monthly irrigation. Nematodes were inactive (anhydrobiotic) and decoupled from decomposition processes when soil water matric potentials reached –0.4 MPa.Dedicated to the late Prof. Dr. M.S. Ghilarov     

Belowground responses by AM fungi and animal trophic groups to repeated defoliation in an experimental grassland community

We tested a hypothesis that the effects of defoliation on plants and soil organisms vary with the number of successive defoliations. We established a 23-week greenhouse experiment using replicated grassland microcosms that were composed of three plant species, Trifolium repens, Plantago lanceolata and Phleum pratense, growing together in grassland soil with a diverse soil community. The experiment consisted of two treatment factors-defoliation and harvest time-in a fully factorial design. The defoliation treatment had two levels, i.e. no trimming and trimming of plants every 2 weeks, and the harvest time five levels, i.e. harvests after 1-3, 5 and 7 trimmings. Shoot production (trimmed plus harvested shoot mass), harvested shoot and root mass and root N and C concentrations increased with time but were reduced by defoliation. Colonization rates of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi decreased with time in T. repens roots but were enhanced by defoliation, whereas AM colonization rates in P. pratense roots were not affected by harvest time or defoliation. The abundance of bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes decreased and that of herbivorous and predatory nematodes increased with time, while the abundance of omnivorous nematodes and detritivorous enchytraeids varied in time without a linear trend. Defoliation had no effect on fungivores and predators but increased the abundance of bacterivores. Defoliation also increased the abundance of herbivores, omnivores and detritivores after 2 trimmings and that of omnivores and detritivores after 5 trimmings, but had a negative effect on omnivores after 3 trimmings and on herbivores after 7 trimmings. Among nematode genera, some deviation from the trophic group responses existed: for instance, defoliation reduced the abundance of bacterivorous Acrobeloides spp. and did not affect the abundance of herbivorous Filenchus spp. and Paratylenchus spp. Our results show that the effects of defoliation on plants, AM fungi and some soil animal trophic groups may remain constant all the way through several defoliations, whereas other animal trophic groups may have different and even opposite responses to defoliation depending on the length of the defoliation period before monitoring. This shows how separate studies with defoliation periods of different length can produce contradictory results of the effects of defoliation on the abundance of soil animals.     

绿肥影响农田土传病害的研究进展

土传病害是制约我国农业可持续发展的因素之一。绿肥作为高效清洁的有机肥源,与主作物合理搭配,可有效降低主作物土传病害的发生和危害,是减少化学药剂使用的重要措施。因此,综述绿肥对土传病害的防控效果与机制,对于绿肥推广应用和土传病害绿色防控具有重要意义。绿肥影响作物土传病害的研究主要集中于土传真菌病害和线虫病害,且大多数研究表明,绿肥可通过增强主作物整体抗病水平,对病原菌的化感抑制作用和改善土壤理化性质,增加土壤微生物中拮抗菌多样性和丰富度等,显著降低主作物土传病害发病率和严重程度。然而,绿肥影响主作物病害的作用机制研究不够深入,绿肥-主作物搭配模式和绿肥调控主作物病害的社会经济学效益仍需探究。同时,加强绿肥-主作物病害一体化防控及绿肥与根际促生菌、生防菌等其他有机改良剂或与适当的化学防控措施之间协同作用的研究,是未来需要加强的研究方向。     

Legacy effects of elevated ozone on soil biota and plant growth

Many studies have examined how human-induced atmospheric changes will influence ecosystems. The long-term consequences of human induced climate changes on terrestrial ecosystems may be determined to a large extend by how the belowground compartment will respond to these changes. In a free-air ozone enrichment experiment running for 5 years, we reciprocally transplanted soil cores from ambient and elevated ozone rings to test whether exposure to elevated ozone results in persistent changes in the soil biota when the plant and soil are no longer exposed to elevated ozone, and how these legacy effects of elevated ozone influenced plant growth as compared to current effects of elevated ozone. After one growing season, the current ozone treatment enhanced plant growth, but in soil with a historical legacy of elevated ozone the plant biomass in that soil was reduced compared to the cores originated from ambient rings. Current exposure to ozone increased the phospholipid fatty acids of actinomycetes and protozoa, however, it decreased dissolved organic carbon, bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes. Interestingly, numbers of bacterivorous and fungivorous nematodes were enhanced when soils with a legacy of elevated ozone were placed under elevated ozone conditions. We conclude that exposure to elevated [O₃] results in a legacy effect in soil. This legacy effect most likely influenced plant growth and soil characteristics via responses of bacteria and fungi, and nematodes that feed upon these microbes. These soil legacies induced by changes in soil biotic community after long-term exposure of elevated ozone can alter the responses of ecosystems to current climatic changes.     

不同剂量达虫净对山羊自然感染线虫的驱虫效果试验

按体重5mg/kg、10mg/kg、15mg/kg不同剂量的达虫净对自然感染线虫的山羊进行拌料饲喂驱虫,同时用0.2mg/kg阿维菌素一次皮下注射作药效对照,并设空白对照组。分别于用药前及用药后第7天取粪便进行虫卵计数。用药后第2天起每天检查由粪便中驱出的虫体数至查不出为止。结果表明:各剂量组药物对肺线虫虫卵减少率分别为100%,100%,100%,83.3%,虫卵转阴率分别为100%,100%,100%,66.7%;对捻转血矛线虫等其他线虫虫卵减少率分别为88.9%,100%,100%,100%,虫卵转阴率分别为66.7%,100%,100%,100%。用药后第2天病羊开始排虫,第3天为排虫高峰,第4天排虫减少,第5天仅见有少量虫体,第6天以后未再见虫体排出。