High vegetative compatibility diversity of Cryphonectria parasitica infecting sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) in Britain indicates multiple pathogen introductions

Chestnut blight, caused by Cryphonectria parasitica, was identified in Devon, UK, in December 2016. Intensive surveys detected the disease at further sites in Devon (seven), Berkshire (one), Dorset (one), Derbyshire (four) and a cluster of eight sites in southeast London. Over 570 survey samples were tested, and 227 were positive for C. parasitica by isolation and real-time PCR. A total of 227 isolates were tested for mating type, and 197 screened for vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and compared with VCGs known from mainland Europe. The same isolates were also screened for the presence of Cryphonectria hypovirus 1 (CHV-1). Eleven VCGs were identified within the UK population. Five corresponded to already known European VCGs but six were unique. The European VCGs mainly came from the Devon, Dorset, Berkshire and Derbyshire disease outbreaks, whilst unique VCGs were almost exclusively from the southeast London cluster. Both mating types were detected, but only one mating type was present at each site, with the exception of a single Devon site. Perithecia of C. parasitica were never observed at any site. CHV-1 was found in seven isolates from three different locations and was always subtype-I, which has limited hypovirulence. Therefore, although CHV-1 is associated with C. parasitica at some outbreaks, it probably has limited impact on virulence. The diversity of VCGs and their distribution at outbreak sites, together with findings of CHV-1, suggests C. parasitica has been introduced to the UK multiple times over at least two decades through international plant trade.     

矮凤梨短营养生长期突变材料‘14-1’的性状鉴定

菠萝栽培种(Ananas comosus var. comosus)的营养生长期较长,制约了其新品种选育效率。收集和筛选营养生长期较短的种质,可为短营养生长期菠萝新品种的选育创制中间材料。从境外收集了23份易成花的野生种质材料,自2008年起进行栽培、繁殖和性状鉴定。通过对营养生长期的比较和观察,从矮凤梨(A. comosus var. nanus)的体胚苗中发现了1份营养生长期显著缩短的突变材料‘14-1’,其营养生长期约6个月(原品种约12个月),1年开花2次,具有极易成花等特点。‘14-1’无性繁殖后代遗传性状稳定,可作为短营养生长期菠萝育种的亲本资源。     

有机肥、碱性物质对龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗营养生长影响

以玄武岩发育而成酸性粘土、龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗为试材,以施用充足化肥为对照,施用有机肥、碱性物质(碳酸钙、白云石粉)作为其他处理,测量各处理对龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗株高、叶宽、叶片数影响,为龙舌兰麻H.11648合理施用有机肥和碱性物质提供依据。结果如下： 1、用碱性物质碳酸钙或白云石粉调节的土壤pH值6.0、6.5处理的龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗株高、叶宽、叶片数增长率与对照(pH5.5)没有显著差异,龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗在玄武岩发育土壤上生长酸害阈值为pH值5.5；2、有机肥处理对龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗株高、叶片数增长率没有显著影响,但4%、8%有机肥显著增加了叶宽(增长率分别比对照提高62.7%、76.7%),有机肥显著促进了龙舌兰麻H.11648幼苗生长。     

杉木干基萌芽能力的遗传变异

分析了两片杉木子代林伐桩和杉木无性系采穗圃萌条数量的遗传变异情况。结果表明：杉木子代林伐桩萌条数量在产地间、产地内家系间及组合间均存在极显著差异，并有中等以上遗传力；遗传变异系数在３７％～３９％之间；产地的遗传方差分量与产地内家系间的相近。伐桩萌条数量与基径粗度的关系随伐桩年龄的变化而表现不一；不同砍伐季节伐桩萌条数量也存在较大差异。杉木无性系采穗圃无性系间有效萌条数量存在极显著差异，无性系的萌芽能力有较高的重复力。     

Configuration and development of root systems of cuttings and seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus

Stem cuttings of Eucalyptus globulus are used within tree improvement programs and for mass deployment. To be successful, cuttings must perform as well or better than seedlings. The root systems of cuttings are fundamentally different from those of seedlings. If these differences influence growth, the differences and their consequences must be identified and the propagation system manipulated to improve performance of the propagules.Cuttings are only a viable alternative to seedlings as planting stock if the method of propagation does not affect their growth and development adversely. Full-sibling cuttings and seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus were compared under controlled environmental conditions to minimise extraneous sources of variation, and to establish whether changes in growth or development were induced by propagation. On three occasions over a period of eight weeks root-collar diameter, shoot height, leaf and stem weight, shoot/root ratios and root system morphology were measured on cuttings and seedlings. Seedlings were taller than cuttings throughout the experiment, but both plant types had similar height growth rates. Diameter growth rates were lower in cuttings than seedlings, and there were differences in both height and diameter growth rates between families. Root system configuration differed between the plant types. Seedlings had strongly gravitropic tap-roots, with two types of primary roots from which secondary roots emerged. Cuttings had no tap roots, and the main structural components of their root systems were adventitious roots formed during propagation. Cuttings did not develop further structural roots during the experiment, whereas seedlings continued to develop primary roots. Individual primary roots of cuttings were longer and had larger mid-point diameters than those of seedlings, but the total length of primary roots was greater in seedlings. Seedlings also had a greater number and total length of secondary roots. Shoot/root ratios, calculated from a range of functional measures, were higher in cuttings than seedlings.     

Rootstock effects in grafted conifers: A review

The literature on rootstock effects (on scions) in conifers was reviewed, specifically: graft success, compatibility, size, reproduction, phenology, crown and needle characters, mineral contents, organic compounds, water relations, disease resistance and wood properties. Scions usually had higher graft success and less incompatibility on more closely related rootstocks although there were exceptions. Even intergeneric grafts have succeeded on occasion. Although there were marked rootstock effects on growth and reproduction, the effects did not follow a pattern with increasing relationship. It is also likely that some crown characters and the nutrient content of scions can be manipulated by the use of rootstocks. For many characters, a specific rootstock may give a desired result only for a limited number of scion types (species, cultivars or clones). With some exceptions, the review shows that the subject has not been comprehensively studied. Many of the studies were either short-term, inadequately replicated, or poorly designed to allow firm conclusions about rootstock effects. The physiological and biochemical mechanisms, which cause the changes seen in morphology, are not well understood. Further research and more comprehensive study of rootstock effects on scion biology are recommended.     

Rooting of baldcypress cuttings

A test of the rooting performance and growth of cuttings from 1-year-old and 25-to 50-year old baldcypress (Taxodium distichum L.) branch tips is reported. Rooting of cuttings from one-year-old trees averaged 75% (0.1% IBA treatment) and 88% (control), cuttings from 25 to 50-year-old trees averaged 12% in both the IBA treatment and the control treatment. Indole-3-butyric acid at a 0.1% concentration did not enhance rooting, but resulted in a significant increase in shoot dry weight on cuttings from one-year-old trees. The results of this experiment suggest that cuttings from mature baldcypres trees have the potential to root, thereby, additional rooting techniques such as girdling and stump sprouts is worthy of pursuing.     

Stand structure and the regeneration ofChamaecyparis pisifera (Sieb. et Zucc.) Endl. on sites with different soil development in an old-growth coniferous forest, central Japan

Stand structure and the regeneration ofChamaecyparis pisifera on sites with and without well-developed soil in an old-growth coniferous forest, Akasawa Forest Reserve, central Japan, were investigated, along with their relationships to other important coniferous species. Of stems ofC. pisifera≥5 cm diameter at breast height, stems with intermediate size were absent in stands on the developed-soil site, while those with smaller size increased in stands on the undeveloped-soil site, which supported a higher density ofC. pisifera. In the stands without recent tree-fall of canopy stems on the developed-soil site, canopy stems ofC. pisifera were distributed uniformly and the understory stems, patchily. On the other hand, both canopy and understory stems ofC. pisifera in stands on the undeveloped-soil site were distributed patchily. In the understory,C. pisifera occurred as clonal patches formed by vegetative reproduction on various types of microsites including bare rocks. However, the clonal patches did not occur in a stand on the developed-soil site with dense saplings of an evergreen conifer,Thujopsis dolabrata, which can expand vegetatively with a well developed soil layer. Gap formation may induceC. pisifera to develop tree-form stems from shrubby clonal patches. On developed-soil sites,C. pisifera stands that survive a long disturbance-free period on this site need catastrophic disturbance for their regeneration, which will eliminateT. dolabrata in the understory and create bare soil for colonization ofC. pisifera from seeds. On undeveloped-soil sites,C. pisifera replaces itself continuously by effective vegetative reproduction. Ground instability and the wet condition of this site may promote the replacement.     

山茱萸嫁接繁殖试验

山茱萸嫁接试验结果表明，采用改进型嵌芽接(所削芽片宽0．5cm，长2．5～3．0cm)成活率最高，可达80．7％，全芽绑扎方法能够明显提高嫁接成活率。嫁接时接穗和砧木的粗度最佳范围0．4～0．6cm，最佳的解绑时间是30d。