Tuberization in potato at high temperatures: Responses to exogenous gibberellin,cytokinin and ethylene

Summary In potato (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Sebago), benzyladenine (BA) promoted tuberization at high day/night temperatures (32°/18°C), while gibberrellic acid (GA) and chlorethylphosphonic acid (CEPA) reduced tuberization at low day/night temperatures (22°/18°C). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that temperature exerts its influence on tuber formation by altering the balance between endogenous gibberellins, cytokinins and inhibitors, but not ethylene.     

The effect of temperature on the development of wilting and on progeny tuber infection of potatoes inoculated with South African strains of biovar 2 and 3 ofPseudomonas solanacearum

Summary Potato plants, after inoculation with a South African strain of biovar 2 or a strain of biovar 3 ofPseudomonas solanacearum were grown in growth chambers at temperatures ranging from 14/16°C (dark/light) up to 25/30°C. When grown at 14/16°C or higher, plants inoculated with the biovar 2 strain developed wilting symptoms and internal symptoms on progeny tubers and the disease was transmitted by the progeny tubers. When the plants were inoculated with the biovar 3 strain, wilting symptoms developed from 18/20°C, internal symptoms on progeny tubers from 20/22°C and the disease was transmitted by progeny tubers from plants grown at 16/18°C or higher.     

Effect of storage temperature and duration on quality and survival of potato transplants

Potato transplants (Solanum tuberosum) were harvested and stored at 1.7, 7.2, 12.8, 15.6 and 18.3°C between 4 and 8 days. The transplants were evaluated after storage for leaf color and drop, wilt, tuberization, and stolonization. After transplanting, the plants were evaluated for survival. At 1.7 and 7.2°C storage, the leaves were greener with less drop than at the higher temperatures. During storage above 7.2°C, the development of tubers and stolons continued. Plant survival was generally higher at 1.7, 7.2 and 12.8°C than at 15.6 and 18.3°C.     

The effect of potato seed tuber age and soil temperature on the phenomenon of non-emergence

Summary In three experiments seed tubers of cvs Jaerla, Bintje and Alpha, stored at 12 °C in the dark, were planted in glasshouses on various dates at soil temperatures varying from 8 °C to 28 °C to study the phenomenon of ‘non-emergence’ with ageing seed tubers. In general the tubers were desprouted before planting. At all plantings cv. Alpha produced normal plants. The cvs Jaerla and Bintje, however, showed high proportions of the ‘little potato’ phenomenon when planted in cold soil, and high proportions of decayed tubers more frequently in warm soil. When using physiologically older seed at later planting dates, both the range of soil temperatures became wider and the proportions of seed tubers experiencing both ‘little potato’ and decay increased.     

Cuban brown snail,Zachrysia provisoria (Gastropoda): Damage potential and control

The snail Zachrysia provisoria (Pfeiffer) is poorly known in Florida, USA, where it predominately is viewed as a pest of ornamental plants. I evaluated its host plant relationships, foliage consumption potential, and susceptibility to several molluscicides. Many of the potential hosts, especially common ornamental plants that are planted densely as ground cover and might be expected to provide a favorable environment for snails, are not suitable for growth of young snails. Older snails, though displaying some ability to feed and damage hosts unsuitable for growth of young snails, displayed similar patterns of acceptance and growth. Several weeds were favorable for growth, suggesting that untended environments could lead to snail problems in adjacent ornamental plantings. The effect of plant condition (age) on snail feeding preference was assessed by measuring leaf consumption by snails presented simultaneously with young (green, located apically) and senescent (yellowing or yellow, located basally) leaves of a single plant species. From preferred host plants, snails chose young leaf tissue, but from less preferred plants they consumed senescent tissue. Foliage consumption potential was assessed using romaine lettuce at two constant temperatures, 24 and 32 °C. Foliage consumption increased with age (wet weight) at both 24 and 32 °C; however, the rate of consumption was higher at the lower temperature. At 24 °C, mean peak consumption was about 40 cm² of leaf area or 12 g wet weight/day. At the less favorable high temperature of 32 °C, mean peak consumption was reduced by about 50%, to a mean of only 20 cm² or 6 g wet weight/day. Relative consumption rate (cm² or g foliage/g snail) diminished with age (wet weight) of the snails. Several molluscicide-containing baits were assessed. Metaldehyde-based baits induced mortality most quickly, followed by iron-based baits. A boric acid-based bait was slowest, requiring 12 days for the induction of significant levels of mortality. All baits significantly suppressed feeding, however, sometimes even in the absence of mortality.     

Influence of storage temperature on rate of potato tuber tissue infection caused byPhytophthora infestans (mont.) de bary estimated by digital image analysis

Summary Potato tubers were inoculated with two biotypes ofPhytophthora infestans then stored at 3,7, 10 and 15°C. Image analysis quantified average reflective intensity (ARI) of diseased tissue from cut surfaces of sample tubers. Tuber tissue infection and infection rate were measured by calculating Mean ARI of samples. Average tuber tissue infection and infection rate was minimal at 3°C (P.i.-US8 orP.i.-US1). Tuber tissue infection increased at temperatures >3°C, from 220 Mean ARI seven days after inoculation (dai) to 190–150 Mean ARI 50 dai (depending on cultivar and biotype ofP. infestans). Rate of tuber tissue infection caused byP.i.-US1 at 7°C was about zero in cv. Snowden but greater than −0.2 ARI day⁻¹ (cvs Russet Burbank and Superior). Rate of late blight infection in tuber tissue generally increased with temperature from −0.2 ARI day⁻¹ (at 7°C) in all cultivars to a maximum of −0.8 ARI day⁻¹ (10°C).     

Relation between growth conditions and dormancy of seed potatoes. 2. Effects of temperature

Summary In two indoor experiments under short day conditions, the effect of temperature during tuber bulking on dormancy of tubers was investigated for cvs Diamant and Désirée. Temperature treatments started after tuber initiation and lasted for 4 weeks, after which the haulm was removed. In Experiment 1, the day/night temperature regimes 18/12, 22/22, 26/18 and 32/12 °C (T18/12 etc.) were compared. In Experiment 2, three day temperatures (18, 24 and 30 °C) were combined with three night temperatures (12, 18 and 24 °C), resulting in nine treatments. The dormancy of cv. Diamant was shortest after very high day temperatures (30–32 °C), but intermediate day temperatures (22–26 °C) had no shortening effect compared to T18/12. Dormancy of cv. Désirée was not shortened, but rather tended to be prolonged by high temperatures (22–32 °C) during growth. High temperatures during growth resulted in more sprouts per tuber after dormancy had ended.     

Effect of wet incubation time and temperature on infection, and of storage time and temperature on soft rot lesion expansion in potatoes inoculated withErwinia carotovora ssp.Carotovora

Summary Infection and lesion expansion studies were carrried out on potato tubers. In the infection study, the tubers were inoculated withErwinia carotovora ssp.carotovora (Ecc) and exposed to incubation temperatures of 10–25 °C for 3–48 h of wetness. In the lesion expansion study, the tubers were exposed to 12 h of wetness at 20 °C to establish infection, and then·stored at temperatures of 4–16 °C for 15–90 d, at 95% RH. The volume of diseased tissue was determined and the data were transformed to proportion of maximum volume diseased (PVD). Infection was close to zero for 3 and 6 h wet incubation time, regardless of incubation temperature, and reached the maximum in 12 h of wetness at 20 °C. Significant lesion expansion occurred at a storage temperature of 16 °C after about 60 d of storage time. Cubic models of infection and lesion expansion potentials explained 95 and 96% of the variations in infection and lesion expansion, respectively.     

Effect of temperature on germination and early growth of subterranean clover, capeweed and Wimmera ryegrass

Germination of annual pasture species was studied under controlled‐environment conditions in south‐western Australia at temperatures in the range from 4°C to 35°C. Subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) and Wimmera ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) had a germination of 90% between 12°C and 29°C, whereas capeweed (Arctotheca calendula) had a high germination percentage in a much narrower temperature range with an optimum of 25°C. Growth of subterranean clover, capeweed and Wimmera ryegrass between 28 and 49 days after sowing (DAS) was also studied at two photon flux densities, 13 and 30 mol m^?2 d^?1, and at diel temperatures in the range from 15/10°C to 33/28°C. Pasture species grown at a density of 1000 plants m^?2 accumulated at least twice the amount of shoot dry matter when subjected to temperatures of 21/16°C and 27/22°C, compared with a lower temperature of 15/10°C and a higher temperature of 33/28°C. Except at the highest temperature and at high photon flux density, capeweed had lower green area indices (GAI) than the other two species at 28 DAS. Crop growth rates between 28 and 49 DAS were higher in Wimmera ryegrass than in the other two species, whereas subterranean clover had a lower relative growth rate than the other two species at all temperatures and both photon flux densities. Subterranean clover and capeweed intercepted a greater proportion of the incident radiation compared with Wimmera ryegrass. The values of radiation interception and GAI were used to estimate the number of DAS to reach 75% radiation interception [f_(0·75)]. The number of days to reach f_(0·75) decreased with increasing temperature from 15/10°C to reach a minimum at 27/22°C. The time taken to achieve f_(0·75) was always shorter by about 10 d when the photon flux density was 30 mol m^?2 d^?1 in the autumn compared with 13 mol m^?2 d^?1 in the winter. These results are discussed in relation to the early growth of annual pasture in the field.     

Net photosynthetic rate of potato at high temperatures

Summary Potato cultivars were grown in a glasshouse and plants periodically transferred to a growth chamber. When the ambient temperature in the growth chamber was raised from 15 to 40°C in steps of 5°C per hour, net photosynthetic rate decreased at temperatures above 20°C. At 40°C the rate was 37% of the rate at 20°C. A greater decrease in net photosynthetic rate occurred with plants of the cultivar Up-to-Date than with cultivars R100 and BP13. Low values of leaf diffusive resistance were recorded and changes in photosynthetic rate could not be explained by changes in this factor. When a constant ambient air temperature of 20°C was maintained while soil temperature was increased, net photosynthetic rate decreased.     

Effects of Temperature on Growth and Dry Matter Accumulation in Mulberry Saplings

abstract

Prediction of mulberry (Moms alba L. cv. Shinn-ichinose) growth is necessary to cope with recent trends in mulberry cultivation. To develop a mulberry growth model, I investigated the response of mulberry growth to temperature. Mulberry saplings were grown in 1995 and 1996 at four constant (20, 24, 28, 32°C) and one diurnally fluctuating (32/24°C -mean 28°C) temperature conditions for 50-60 days in phytotrons under natural sunlight. Shoot length and leaf number were measured every 10 days during the temperature treatment and the dry matter of each plant part was measured at the end of the treatment period. Shoot length and leaf number increased exponentially with time at all temperatures examined, and these values increased with the increase in temperature. Shoot dry weight, over the period of the treatment, increased with temperature but the dry weights of stump and root were not affected by temperature. The optimum temperature for mulberry growth and dry matter accumulation was approximately 32°C.     

Potato cuttings as models to study maturation and senescence

Summary Single leaf cuttings with their subtended axillary buds proved to be useful models to study maturation and senescence in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Senescence was more rapid if the cultivar was early maturing or if plants were exposed to short days before cuttings were taken. Rooting was decreased by short days before cutting; excision of the buried bud only partially overcame the effects on senescence and rooting. High rates of N to mother plants in the field delayed senescence of cuttings in a way analogous to the delayed senescence of field plants. The tuberization of cuttings from late maturing cultivars was decreased by high rates of N. The color of crisps made from bud tubers was positively correlated with the color of crisps made from ordinary tubers of the same cultivars. Sugar concentrations in bud tubers decreased as cuttings became more senescent and increased after cold storage. Bud tubers harvested while ‘immature’ had greater concentrations of reducing sugars after 90 d at 10°C than did ‘mature’ bud tubers. Paper No. 878, Department of Vegetable Crops, Cornell University. This research was supported through HATCH project NYS161414, a contributing project to Regional Project NC150, and through HATCH project NYS161407.     

Effects of Soil Temperature on Growth and Root Function in Rice

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of soil temperature in the stage from late tillering to panicle initiation (SI) and during the grain-filling stage (SII) on grain setting, dry matter production, photosynthesis, non-structural carbohydrate (NSC), xylem exudation and abscisic acid (ABA) levels in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Koshihikari). Rice plants were exposed to four different soil temperatures during SI or SII: 17.5, 25, 31.5 and 36.5°C (ST18, ST25, ST32 and ST37, respectively). The yield, yield components, grain filling and quality in SI were negatively influenced by high soil temperature of 37°C. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in those characters among temperature treatments in SII. The root/shoot ratio was smallest in the ST37 plants in both SI and SII, mainly due to their lighter root weight. At 7 days after initiation of treatment (DAT) in both SI and SII, the photosynthetic and xylem exudation rate tended to increase slightly as soil temperature increased up to 32°C. At 21 DAT, however, the photosynthetic rate was lowest in ST37, with concurrent decrease of diffusion conductance and SPAD value. In addition, decrease of NSC concentration in stem and xylem exudation rate, and increase of ABA level in leaves and xylem exudate were observed in ST37 plants at 21 DAT. These results suggested that high soil temperature before heading especially influenced yield, grain quality and plant growth. Possible mechanisms of the effect of soil temperature are discussed.     

Leak syndrome of potato in Tunisia caused byPythium aphanidermatum andPythium ultimum

Summary TwoPythium spp. were isolated from diseased tubers exhibiting rots at harvest, in summer stores and also in refrigerated storage. Symptoms shared features described for both pink rot caused byPhytophthora erythroseptica and leak caused byPythium spp. The causal agents were identified asPythium aphanidermatum andP. ultimum by morphological and physiological observations and by fingerprinting using oomycete specific primers to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) within ribosomal DNAs. The optimum temperatures for infection were 30°C forP. aphanidermatum and 25°C forP. ultimum, corresponding to the optimum temperatures for growth in vitro. The optimum concentration for infection of tubers inoculated by dipping in a suspension of oospores or hyphal swellings after wounding was found to be 10³ reproductive organs/ml, whereas the infection threshold was 10 reproductive organs/ml.     

High Temperature Modifies Resistance Performances of Rice Varieties to Brown Planthopper,Nilaparvata lugens(Stl)

To investigate the effect of temperature on the resistance characteristics of rice varieties with different resistance genes to brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens(Stl),the resistances of IR26(Bph1)and IR36(bph2)to BPH population in Hangzhou,China were monitored in greenhouse during September in 2007 and 2008 by using the standard seedling screening techniques(SSST)developed by the International Rice Research Institute(IRRI).Furthermore,the changes in resistance of IR26 and IR36 to BPH,soluble sugar and oxalic acid contents in 25-day-old rice plants of susceptible variety TN1 and resistant varieties IR26 and IR36 were detected at five temperatures(22℃,25℃,28℃,31℃ and 34℃).IR26 completely lost resistance both in greenhouse and at the five tested temperatures.IR36 still had moderate resistance at natural temperature,but its resistance decreased gradually when the temperature increased from 25℃ to 34℃,and fully lost its resistance at 31℃ and 34℃.The highest durable resistance of IR26 and IR36 were recorded at 25℃.The soluble sugar content in plants of the three tested rice varieties increased with temperature increase,and the oxalic acid content increased with the temperature increase at first,maximized at 25℃,and then declined.Two-way ANOVA indicated significant effects of temperature and rice variety on contents of soluble sugar and oxalic acid in rice plants.     

HEADING DATES OF S24 PERENNIAL RYEGRASS AND SPRING TEMPERATURES

For spaced plants of Lolium perenne cv. S24 at the Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth, and at the National Institute of Agricultural Botany, Cambridge, linear relationships were obtained between the recorded heading dates and (a) mean March earth temperatures at 30 cm depth and (b) mean March plus mean April earth temperatures at 30 cm depth. The residual standard deviations were ±2.97 days and ±2.65 days, respectively, A mean March earth temperature of 8°C predicted heading on 5 May, 6° C predicted heading on 12 May, and 4°C predicted heading on 20 May. For sites with an average April temperature significantly below 8.7°C a correction of +2 days per degree mean temperature difference in April had to be applied to these dates. These equations could be used to predict dates for 50% ear emergence in swards with a 50% confidence limit of ±22 days for sites in Central and Southern England and Wales. In certain years, cold, wet weather in May appeared to delay heading considerably at two Scottish sites.     

Temperature-dependent fecundity of overwintered Unaspis yanonensis (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) and use of degree-days for the prediction of first crawler

The longevity and fecundity of the overwintered arrowhead scale, Unaspis yanonensis (Kuwana) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), was examined at constant temperatures. The total fecundity increased up to 24 °C and declined thereafter. Total fecundity reached a maximum of 260.9 eggs per female at 24 °C. Females demonstrated periodic oviposition activity but the pattern differed with temperature. The first cycle of fecundity was not significantly different between 16 and 28 °C. However, fecundity in the latter cycles, measured at rearing temperatures of 16, 20 and 32 °C, was lower than at 24 and 28 °C. The pre-oviposition period ranged from 49.0 d at 16 °C to 19.7 d at 32 °C, and was shortest (19.4 d) at 28 °C. The longevity was found to be greatest (87.3 d) at 16 °C and was as short as 48.9 d at 32 °C. Regression of the mean development rate vs. temperature provided a low-threshold temperature estimate of 8.7 °C for the pre-oviposition stage and a thermal constant of 358.4 degree days. The theoretical low threshold temperature and thermal constant applied to the calculation for the completion of the U. yanonensis pre-oviposition period predicted the appearance of first crawlers in the field.     

Effects of photoperiod,night temperature,and irradiance on flower production in the potato

Summary The influence of three environmental factors on the incidence of arrested floral development (bud abortion) in different potato clones was studied. The first experiment measured flower production in growth chambers when a 12-h photoperiod was extended by 4 h dim light. The second experiment, also in growth chambers, contrasted flower production under night temperatures of 10°C and 20°C (day temperature 30°C, photoperiod 12 h). A third experiment examined bud abortion in plants grown in the greenhouse under shade cloths which reduced incoming irradiance to ca. 50% of normal. Both the longer photoperiod and warmer night temperature promoted flower production, in some of the clones tested, by reducing bud abortion. Reduced irradiance completely suppressed flower development (but not bud formation) in all clones. In all experiments, the number of flowers developing to anthesis was significantly correlated with shoot dry weight, indicating that treatments which promote shoot growth reduce the incidence of bud abortion. Paper No. 854, Department of Vegetable Crops, Cornell University.     

The use of constant and alternating temperature regimes and tissue culture to obtain PVS—Free potato plants

Growth of 6 potato virus S (PVS)-infected potato clones in tissue culture in temperature regimes alternating between supraoptimal (40°C–45°C) and optimal (25°C) temperatures was compared to incubation of etiolated shoots at constant moderate temperatures (37°C) to obtain virus-free plants by shoot tip culture. Both procedures were effective in obtaining PVS-free propagative material. Virus-free plants were obtained in 5 of 6 clones by the alternating temperatures procedure and in 4 of the 6 clones by the constant 37°C incubation prior to shoot tip isolation. Heat tolerance, virus inactivation, and development of pathogen-free buds from the heat-treated plants depended upon the potato cultivar and the type of culture media in which the tips grew, but these characteristics did not coincide in any clone. The variety Chieftain was the least tolerant to the high temperatures and no virus-free individuals were recovered. White Rose was the most heat resistant, but Russet Burbank resulted with the highest percentage of PVS-free plants. The virus was eliminated from the variety Kennebec only by the alternating temperature treatments. Exposing potato plantlets in the alternating temperature regimes prior to isolation and regeneration of shoot tips was slightly better than the traditional method of incubation of plants at constant moderate temperatures that the plant will withstand and offers a new option in freeing plants of more tenacious viruses.     

GA3 and Proline Promote Germination of Wheat Seeds by Stimulating α-Amylase at Unfavorable Temperatures

abstract

The effects of various constant temperatures (4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29, 34, and 38°C) on the germination of winter wheat seed ( Triticum aestivum L. cv. ‘Koyuki’) in a dark condition were studied. The maximum germination percentage was 98% at 24°C. The speed of germination was fastest at 29°G. These results indicate that the most suitable temperature for germination was in the range of 24 to 29°G. α-Amylase expression during germination was also high at higher temperature, and maximum expression occurred at 29°C, although a high temperature of 38°C prevented the synthesis of α-amylase. The close correlation between germination and α-amylase activity at various temperatures indicates that α-amylase is an essential factor for the temperature-dependent germination of wheat seed. In contrast, accumulation of proline increased at a lower temperature, and was the highest at 4°G. We also studied the effects of gibberellin (GA₃) and proline, a compatible osmotica in alleviating the effect of low and high temperature stresses. Pre-soaking treatment with GA3 and proline was effective in promoting germination and increasing α-amylase expression at a low (4°C) and high (38°C) temperature. These results suggest that GA₃ and proline exhibit positive effects on stress alleviation through the stimulation of α-amylase expression.