Introduction of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir to Argentina

Patterns of shoot elongation of 2-yr seedlings from native North American populations of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir were compared to those of Argentine land races originating from unknown provenances. The comparisons were conducted in Moscow, Idaho (USA), and suggested that the ponderosa pine land race was descended from a California provenance at low or middle elevations but that the growth potential of the land race was only mediocre in comparison to eight native populations. The Douglas-fir land race exhibited a relatively high growth potential in comparison to 19 native provenances and undoubtedly originated from a mild coastal environment. The results provide concrete recommendations for upgrading the growth potential of the Argentine land races by importing germ plasm of specific provenances.     

Microsatellite Marker Based Assessment of Genetic Diversity among Cultivars, Landraces and Wild Relatives in Rice

India being the primary center of origin for rice had a very large treasure of local land races, most of which are out of cultivation today. The exact genetic potential and their differences from commercial varieties and the magnitude of heterogeneity still present in them are not well catalogued. Hence the need to characterize the available land races has become imminent in the modem day concept of crop improvement （Rezai and Frey, 1990）. The present study addresses the utility of SSR markers in divulging the genetic relationships at molecular level among the major component factions office gennplasm viz., local cultivars, land races and wild species collected from a wide range of agro-geographical regions of Indian subcontinent.     

Identification of pathogenic races ofPhytophthora fragariae Hickman in Germany

Summary The fungusPhytophthora fragariae Hickman is the causal agent of red stele disease in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), this being a major disease in many areas with cool and moist conditions. Success of resistance breeding can be nullified by the appearence of specific races of the fungus capable of overcoming the introduced resistance. In some countries (USA, UK, Japan and Canada) races were identified by using a differential set of strawberry cultivars. The absence of an international standard differential set and the use of different test methods make a comparison of the identified races difficult or even lead to contradictory results for one variety/race combination. The aim of this study was to obtain information about the spectrum of pathogenic races in Germany as a basic contribution to research on resistance breeding against the fungus. The susceptibility of different strawberry cultivars to German isolates ofP. fragariae was evaluated. The inoculation was done by modifying a method described by Milholland et al. (1989). Rootedin vitro plants, four weeks after transferring them to the soil, were used for the investigation. Inoculation was done with a zoospore suspension of defined concentration. Up to now three German isolates, G-1, G-2, and G-3, can be separated by their ability to infect and produce oospores in the roots of the strawberry cultivars ‘Senga Sengana’, either ‘Saladin’, ‘Redgauntlet’ or ‘Climax’ andFragaria chiloensis clone ‘YaquinaB’. These results confirm the existence of pathogenic races ofP. fragariae in Germany and should be taken into consideration for resistance breeding against the fungus.     

Effect of plant density on selection for seed yield in two population types of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Summary Pedigree selection for seed yield, using early generation yield tests, was practiced from the F₂ to F₇ in two populations of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in three plant densities: 66, 133, and 266 thousand plants ha^-1 at CIAT-Palmira, Colombia. The six highest yielding lines selected from each plant-density, along with 13 parents, were evaluated in a 7×7 lattice design with three replications at the three densities utilized for selection, and at 399,000 plants ha^-1 in 1988 and 1989.Based on the mean performance of selected lines and the mean of the parents, selection for seed yield was effective in all densities in both populations. However, none of the lines selected from the population within the race Mesoamerica (TC 4673) significantly outyielded their best parent under any plant density. The highest yielding lines selected from the interracial population (TR 4635) outyielded their best parent irrespective of the plant-density used for selection. The highest yielding line originated from the highest density used for selection. Low density was neither good for selection nor for evaluation and identification of high-yielding cultivars of common bean. There was no significant difference between the mean yield of lines selected at the intermediate and high population densities. The effects of plant density, year, and their interactions were significant for seed yield.     

Virulence characteristics of a new race of the parasitic angiosperm,Striga gesnerioides,from southern Benin on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

An in vitro growth system was used to determine the virulence of two samples of Striga gesnerioides from Zakpota in southern Benin. Cowpea variety B301, previously considered resistant to all races of S. gesnerioides, was susceptible to both samples of the parasite. Two other cowpea varieties, 58–57 and IT81D-994, were totally resistant. Resistance in 58–57 was associated with a hypersensitive necrosis of infected roots, whilst IT81D-994 supported production of small S. gesnerioides tubercles with stems which failed to develop. Striga gesnerioides from southern Benin is the fourth race of the parasite to be identified, and the first with virulence on variety B301. The implications for breeding cowpeas with resistance to S. gesnerioides are discussed.Abbreviations IITA International Institute of Tropical Agriculture - LARS Long Ashton Research Station - SAFGRAD Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development     

The location and characteristics of novel sources of resistance to Bremia Lactucae Regel (downy mildew) in wild Lactuca L. Species

Summary Twenty-one accessions of 3 wild Lactuca species which could be hybridised with L. sativa, the cultivated lettuce, were inoculated at different stages of plant development with 3 multivirulent isolates of Bremia lactucae. Nineteen sources of resistance to B. lactucae, not attributable to the previously recognised resistance factors 1–11 were identified. Two lines of L. serriola showed similar resistance patterns as lines carrying R11. The resistance of some accession was incomplete particularly at the seedling stage and this phenomenon may be race specific.Tests on segregating F₂ populations of crosses between 2 different L. serriola accessions and L. sativa cultivars showed that the resistance in one line (LSE/18) appears to be inherited as a single dominant gene, which is sometimes incomplete in expression and allelic to either Dm6 or R7. The segregation patterns for resistance in PI 281876 did not give readily interpretable ratios.To assess the frequency of occurrence in B. lactucae populations of virulence factors to overcome this novel resistance, 11 of the novel sources of resistance were inoculated with numerous collections of the pathogen from the UK, Czechoslovakia and elsewhere and found to show a high level of resistance.     

烟草赤星病不同菌株致病力差异的研究

本试验研究结果表明：采用离体叶片鉴定品种抗病性时点滴法优于喷雾法．从来源不同的１１个烟草赤星病菌株中筛选出致病力最强的Ａ４菌株，鉴别出几个烟草品种抗病性由强到弱的顺位为净叶黄＞晒烟９号＞风林一号＞Ｇ８０＞Ｎｃ８９＞Ｋ３２６．提出了烟草赤星病菌存在生理小种的可能性     

播种时间对豫北地区小麦农学指标、生理指标及产量的影响

作物产量存在着明显的年际变化,为解析播种时间对小麦产量可能带来的影响,在中国科学院封丘农业生态试验站利用原位盆栽试验,研究了播种时间对小麦产量的影响以及小麦产量与关键农学指标和生理指标的关系。试验包括4个播种时间处理:10月5日(T1)、10月10日(T2)、10月15日(T3)和10月20日(T4)。结果表明:在豫北地区,T2处理的小麦产量最高。T2处理的小麦有效穗数和穗粒数分别为38.00穗.盆-1和37.67粒.穗-1,显著高于其他处理。相关分析表明,小麦产量与有效穗数和穗粒数呈极显著正相关,说明播种时间主要通过改变有效穗数和穗粒数等农学指标影响小麦产量。早播提高了小麦根系活力,但其他生理指标呈现出不同的响应特征。分蘖期各处理中小麦叶绿素含量无显著差异,但拔节期后,T2处理的小麦叶绿素含量显著高于T3和T4处理。T1和T2处理硝酸还原酶活性随着小麦生长不断增加,T3和T4处理则在整个生长期处于相对稳定水平,开花期,T2处理小麦硝酸还原酶活性高达57.12 g·g-1(FW)·h-1,极显著高于其他处理。植株硝态氮含量随小麦生长呈下降态势,拔节期T2处理小麦硝态氮含量最高,开花期各处理硝态氮含量差异不明显。分蘖和拔节期各处理小麦植株磷酸酶活性差异不显著;到开花期T2处理达到最大值,为0.34mg·g-1(FW)·h-1,显著高于T3和T4处理,但与T1处理之间差异不显著。小麦产量与拔节期植株硝酸还原酶和酸性磷酸酶活性、开花期硝酸还原酶活性显著正相关,播种时间可能通过改变不同生育期小麦植株硝酸还原酶和酸性磷酸酶活性最终影响产量。