Effects of surfactants on primisulfuron activity in barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli [L.] Beauv.) and green foxtail (Setaria viridis [L.] Beauv.)

Laboratory and greenhouse studies were conducted to measure the contact angle of primisulfuron droplets with and without surfactants on the leaf surfaces of barnyardgrass and green foxtail, to determine the primisulfuron activity on these weed species, and to examine the spray deposit of primisulfuron with and without surfactants on the leaf surface of green foxtail using scanning electron microscopy. A non-ionic surfactant (NIS) and an organosilicone wetting agent (OWA) were used. The contact angles of 1 μL droplets were measured on the leaf surface using a goniometer. The activity of primisulfuron on barnyardgrass and green foxtail was assessed at 3 weeks after treatment based on visual injury and the fresh weight. The contact angles of the droplets of primisulfuron on the adaxial surface of the barnyardgrass and green foxtail leaves were 152° and 127°, respectively, when applied without surfactant. The addition of either surfactant markedly reduced the contact angle for both weed species, which was lowest when the OWA was added to primisulfuron. The percentage injury of barnyardgrass was very low, even at the higher rate of primisulfuron, regardless of the surfactant. Primisulfuron at 40 g ha⁻¹ controlled 43% of green foxtail without surfactant, which increased to 65% with the NIS and 83% with the OWA. Primisulfuron with a surfactant markedly reduced the fresh weight of green foxtail compared with primisulfuron applied alone, regardless of the primisulfuron rate and surfactant type. The scanning electron micrographs showed a uniform deposit of spray droplets, with close contact of the droplets to the leaf epicuticular surface in green foxtail in the presence of a surfactant compared with no surfactant. The enhanced primisulfuron activity on green foxtail with surfactants was related to the reduced contact angle and uniform deposition of the primisulfuron spray droplets on the leaf surface.     

Characterization of aryl acylamidase activity from propanil-resistant barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli [L.] Beauv.)

The enzyme, aryl acylamidase, was characterized in propanil-susceptible and propanil-resistant barnyardgrass with respect to kinetic parameters, the effects of inhibitors, and the levels of activity in dark- and light-grown tissues. The enzyme reaction in the resistant tissue preparation proceeded linearly with time over a 5 h time course, while activity in the susceptible tissue preparation was 2- to 4-fold lower and the activity tended to decrease after 2 h. The apparent K_m values were 62.1 mmol L⁻¹ and 3.1 mmol L⁻¹ for the enzyme activity in the susceptible and resistant tissue preparations, respectively. Two herbicides (anilofos and piperophos), previously shown to synergize propanil injury against the resistant biotype, were found to be potent inhibitors of the in vitro aryl acylamidase activity.     

Factors affecting seed germination and emergence of button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) (R.Br.) P.Beauv.

Button grass (Dactyloctenium radulans) is a native, widely spread summer grass weed species in Australia. However, limited information is available on the seed germination biology of this species. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of environmental factors on the germination and emergence of two populations of D. radulans. The seeds of these populations were collected separately from Dalby, Queensland and Coleambally, NSW. Seeds were germinated at a range of constant and alternating temperatures (25/15, 30/20, 35/25 and 40/30°C day/night). The greatest seed germination was at a constant temperature of 30°C. Seed germination was reduced at the lowest alternating temperature (25/15°C). Germination of both populations was strongly stimulated by light, suggesting a great amount of emergence of D. radulans on bare ground, such as crop seedbeds. Germination of the D. radulans population collected from a northern cotton farming system (Dalby) was more tolerant to a greater range of salt stress than the population sourced from the south (Coleambally). Seeds of both populations germinated over a wide range of pH, between 4 and 10. However, germination was the greatest in a high pH buffer solution, indicating that the species prefers to germinate in alkaline soil. These results showed that D. radulans seeds possess a wide range of tolerance mechanisms to different environmental stresses. Information obtained in this study will help in developing more sustainable and effective integrated weed management strategies for the control of this weed and weeds with similar responses in summer cropping systems, such as cotton.     

Propanil‐resistant barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus‐galli (L.) Beauv.] in Sri Lanka: Seedling growth under different temperatures and control

Experiments were conducted to (i) evaluate the efficacy of propanil formulations available in Sri Lanka in controlling Echinochloa crus‐galli; (ii) study the seedling growth of propanil‐resistant (R) and ‐susceptible (S) biotypes of the weed under different temperatures; (iii) quantify the level of resistance in R biotypes and; (iv) to suggest alternative control measures for R biotypes. Field studies showed that retail propanil formulations (36% a.i., EC) applied at 2.7 kg a.i. ha^?1 gave less than 30% control of E. crus‐galli collected from several locations of the north dry zone of Sri Lanka. Chemical analysis revealed that there was no adulteration of propanil formulations at the retailer level. Growth studies conducted in controlled environments indicated that per cent germination and seedling growth of R and S biotypes were similar at the day/night temperature regimes imposed. However, per cent germination for plants grown under a 34/31°C (day/night) regime was 27–29% higher compared to those grown at 28/24°C. At the higher temperature regime, R and S biotypes reached the 2–3 leaf stage five days earlier, and the 4–5 leaf stage seven days earlier. The ED₅₀ values from the dose–response experiments indicated that the R biotype was four times more resistant to propanil than susceptible ones. The resistance index (RI) did not vary significantly under different temperature regimes. Quinclorac (25% a.i., SC) applied at 200 g a.i. ha^?1 and bispyribac‐sodium (10% a.i., SC) applied at 30 g a.i. ha^?1 (recommended dosages) successfully controlled propanil‐resistant biotypes of E. crus‐galli. Conversely, oxadiazon and propanil (8% and 23% a.i., EC, respectively) applied at 280 + 805 g a.i. ha^?1 did not result in satisfactory control.     

Reduced rates of tank mixtures for red sprangletop (Leptochloa chinensis [L.] Nees) and greater club-rush (Scirpus grossus [L.] f.) control in rice

A study on the efficacy of tank-mix combinations on the growth of Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees and Scirpus grossus (L.) f. at the 3–4-leaf stage was conducted under glasshouse conditions. Sethoxydim plus cyhalofop-butyl at 8 + 25, 16 + 25, 32 + 25, 32 + 12.5, and 32 + 6.25 g ai ha⁻¹ provided good control of L. chinensis , ranging from 89–95%. However, a comparison of the costs of herbicide mixtures revealed that sethoxydim at 32 g ai ha⁻¹ plus cyhalofop-butyl at 6.25 g ai ha⁻¹ were the most cost-effective among the combinations. For Scirpus grossus , bensulfuron plus 2,4-D dimethylamine at 2.5 + 18, 5.0 + 18, 1.25 + 36, 2.5 + 36, and 5.0 + 36 g ai ha⁻¹ gave good control that ranged from 88–93%. Tank-mixing bensulfuron with 2,4-D at 1.25 + 36 g ai ha⁻¹ was, however, the most cost-effective mixture compared to the other mixtures. None of the tank mixtures tested in this study caused injury to the rice seedlings. However, further field studies need to be undertaken to verify these findings.     

Germination and seedling emergence of glyphosate‐resistant and susceptible biotypes of goosegrass (Eleusine indica[L.] Gaertn.)

Effects of environmental factors on the germination and seedling emergence of glyphosate‐resistant (R) and ‐susceptible (S) biotypes of Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. were examined under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The R biotype exhibited a higher germination percentage compared with the S biotype at constant temperatures of 20 and 35°C under dark conditions, and alternating temperatures of 30/25°C, and 35/25°C during a 12 h photo period. For both biotypes, germination was optimal at alternating temperatures of 30/20°C and 35/20°C. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the germination between the R and S biotypes at these temperature regimes. The germination of both biotypes was inhibited by osmotic stress imposed by a water potential of ?0.80 MPa. When the moisture stress was released and the seeds were subsequently transferred to distilled water, the germination was enhanced to approximately 90% and 16% for the R and S biotype seeds, respectively. Higher emergence rates were obtained in shallow seed depths (0 or 2 cm) compared to deep depths. Emergence percentage of the R biotype was higher than that of the S biotype at 0 cm and 2 cm depths. The maximum emergence percentage of the R biotype was higher than that of S biotype when seeds were sown on the surface of either loamy or clay loam soil taken from three different sites.     

Comparative effects of different types of tank‐mixed adjuvants on the efficacy,absorption and translocation of cyhalofop‐butyl in barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus‐galli [L.] Beauv.)

The efficacy of cyhalofop‐butyl with tank‐mixed adjuvants on barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus‐galli [L.] Beauv.), as well as the physico‐chemical properties, absorption and translocation, was evaluated and compared. The efficacy experiment showed that the treatments with tank‐mixed adjuvants were approximately twofold more effective than with cyhalofop‐butyl alone at 2% (v/v) (silwet 625 at 0.05%). The surface tension decreased and the droplets could spread automatically on the leaves after adding the adjuvants. The spreading speed increased significantly with the adjuvants. The epidermal cells and wax layer were damaged by the adjuvants. The absorption of cyhalofop‐butyl was increased significantly after adding the tank‐mixed adjuvants. GY‐T12 and silwet 625 were conducive to upward translocation and all six tank‐mixed adjuvants promoted the downward translocation of the herbicide. The results demonstrate that adjuvants can have a considerable influence on the efficiency of cyhalofop‐butyl on barnyardgrass.     

冠菌素对盐胁迫下棉花幼苗中渗透调节物质和激素水平的调控

以转基因抗虫棉 Gossypium hirsutum L.中棉所41、中棉所45和新棉99B为试材,通过水培试验研究了冠菌素对盐胁迫条件下棉花幼苗中渗透调节物质和激素水平的影响。结果表明:在盐胁迫条件下,冠菌素可提高棉花中脯氨酸含量(冠菌素处理后脯氨酸的含量是用盐处理的 2.1倍),0.01、0.1和1 μmol/L的冠菌素处理分别使棉花真叶中脱落酸(ABA)含量提高27%、119%和239%,0.1和1 μmol/L的冠菌素处理使棉花根系中的ABA含量分别提高222% 和130%;冠菌素也可提高棉花中茉莉酸类物质(JAs)和真叶中吲哚-3-乙酸(IAA)的含量,诱导与盐胁迫相关蛋白的表达,保护细胞膜的稳定性,增强盐胁迫下棉花体内的渗透调节能力。     

Changes in seed bank size and dormancy characteristics of the glyphosate-resistant biotype of goosegrass (Eleusine indica[L.] Gaertn.)

A study on changes in the seed bank size of a glyphosate ( N -(phosphonomethyl)glycine)-resistant (R) Eleusine indica biotype was carried out on a naturally occurring infestation of a young oil palm plantation. The total number of shed seeds collected was 53% of the predicted potential total number of seeds produced by the plants. Ametryn ( N -ethyl- N' -(methylethyl)-6-(methylthio)-1,3,5-triazine-2, 4-diamine) was found to be able to control the R seed population in the soil. The periodicity of seedling emergence was influenced by rainfall subsequent to the 1 month period of seed shedding. Seed burial at 2, 10 and 20 cm depths showed that 39, 33 and 79%, respectively, of viable seed persisted in the soil after 2 years. Seeds in the state of enforced dormancy played an important role in maintaining the seed population throughout the 2 year period of burial in the soil.     

Effects of spermidine and salinity stress on growth and biochemical response of paraquat‐susceptibe and ‐resistant goosegrass (Eleusine indica L.)

This study aimed to investigate the interaction effect of spermidine (Spd) and salinity stress on growth, photosynthetic rate, antioxidant system and free polyamines (PAs) contents of goosegrass (Eleusine indica L.) seedlings. E. indica was raised in a growth chamber under normal and toxic salt stress (100 mM of NaCl) and sprayed with 0 and 1.00 mM of Spd. The degree of growth inhibition caused by salt stress was lower in a paraquat‐resistant (R) biotype compared to a paraquat‐susceptible (S) biotype. Salt stress significantly elevated the accumulation of malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage and proline and resulted in the degradation of chlorophyll; reduction in chlorophyll fluorescence; and a decrease in photosynthetic rate, relative water content and biomass. Spd‐treated plants maintained higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase), a greater rate of photosynthesis and lower osmotic pressure than untreated plants in the S biotype. Endogenous Spd content was reduced significantly in response to salt stress in both biotypes, but free PAs content in the S biotype was remarkably enhanced with exogenous Spd application under normal or salinity stress conditions. The result indicated that the S biotype was more sensitive to salinity than the R biotype; meanwhile, exogenous Spd maybe play an important role in protecting S biotype plants from salt stress.     

Identification of allele specific AFLP markers linked with bacterial wilt [Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al.] resistance in hot peppers (Capsicum annuum L.)

Even though the bacterial wilt is identified as the most destructive disease in hot peppers world-wide, robust molecular markers that facilitate marker assisted selection are absent till date. Kerala Agricultural University (India) has released two hot peppers named Ujwala and Anugraha which show high level field resistance to this pathogen. The variety Anugraha was developed through backcross breeding between a high yielding but highly susceptible variety Pusa Jwala with the highly resistant Ujwala, using Pusa Jwala as a recurrent parent. Thus, Pusa Jwala and Anugraha are near isogenic lines (NILs) differing for the resistance to bacterial wilt only and the resistance is governed by a homozygous recessive (rr) gene action. The F₁s of Anugraha × Pusa Jwala were selfed to generate the segregating F₂ population. The F₂ population has been field screened, 10 highly susceptible and 10 most resistant plants were identified and DNA from these plants were bulked separately. Bulked segregant analysis with AFLP primer combination EcoACT + MseCAC was done using the DNA from donor parent Ujwala, susceptible parent Pusa Jwala, resistant parent Anugraha, bulked susceptible F₂ and bulked resistant F₂ plants. On resolution using capillary electrophoresis system in genetic analyzer, the AFLP products have yielded three polymorphic bands (103, 117, and 161 bp) which were linked with the resistant recessive allele and three polymorphic bands (183, 296, 319 bp) linked with the dominant susceptible allele of the bacterial wilt resistance gene. The results were confirmed through co-segregation analysis in most resistant and susceptible plants of F₂ segregating population.     

Vernalization responses and subsequent fertility of two climatically distinct populations of rattail fescue (Vulpia myuros [L.] C.C. Gmel.)

Rattail fescue has become increasingly problematic in North America as a result of the greater adoption of no‐till practices. While rattail fescue is described generally as a winter annual, there exists a wide variation in the life history documentation of the species. In some instances, rattail fescue has been observed behaving as a spring annual. In order to assess the vernalization plasticity of rattail fescue, laboratory‐germinated seedlings from two climatically different rattail fescue populations, eastern versus western Oregon, were exposed to 4, 7 or 10°C temperatures for 0, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6.5, 7 or 8 weeks of vernalization. Following vernalization, the seedlings were transferred to a greenhouse and the developmental stages were recorded. After 13 weeks, the emergent inflorescences were clipped and the seeds were tested for germinability. The initiation of sexual development in the eastern population was affected significantly by the vernalization temperature and length, while the western population only responded to the vernalization length. In general, a faster progression through the reproductive stages of development was associated with longer vernalization lengths. Lastly, there was an increase in the germination rate of the seeds that were produced on the parent plants that were subjected to longer vernalization lengths, regardless of the population or vernalization temperature. The level of plasticity in the vernalization response between the two tested populations indicates that land managers should monitor local population life history traits in order to ensure that effective weed control is implemented at the correct growth stage.     

聚乙二醇胁迫对甘蔗生长前期叶片水势及脯氨酸代谢的影响

以3个甘蔗品种‘桂糖119’(‘GT119’)、‘新台糖16号’(‘ROC16’)、‘新台糖22号’(‘ROC22’)为材料,利用PEG6000淋灌于甘蔗幼苗根部模拟土壤水分胁迫,研究其对植株叶片水势、脯氨酸含量、P5CS、δ-OAT、ProDH酶活性等的影响。结果表明,3个品种经胁迫处理,其叶片水势都较对照有所下降;对于游离脯氨酸含量的变化,‘ROC16’在处理后第1天含量就明显上升,‘GT119’在处理2 d后也开始上升,而‘ROC22’在处理后12 d内其含量仍增加不明显;吡咯啉-5-羧酸合成酶活性经胁迫处理都较未处理表现活跃,‘GT119’与‘ROC16’在胁迫处理后酶活性表现上升趋势,而‘ROC22’变化不明显;鸟氨酸转氨酶活性变化不明显;脯氨酸脱氢酶活性,‘GT119’与‘ROC16’在处理1 d后稍有上升但在7天后都有下降,而‘ROC22’在第7天酶活性就开始提高。     

In vitro and in vivo toxicity of nano chitosan against Curvularia lunata,the causal microorganism of fruit rot and blight,a new disease of olive (O. europaea L.)

During 2019, fruit blight and rot symptoms were observed on olive (O. europaea L.) fruits on trees grown in the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Egypt. Fungal isolates recovered from symptomatic fruits were identified as Curvularia lunata (Walker) Boedijn (two isolates) and A. alternata (Fr.) Keissl. (one isolate). Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by a pathogenicity test conducted in vitro on olive fruits wounded before inoculation with fungal isolates and incubation at 25?±?0.2 °C in a moist chamber for a week. During incubation, we observed the development of blight and rot symptoms on fruits inoculated with both isolates of C. lunata, similar to the natural symptoms described. Conversely, A. alternata was nonpathogenic to olive fruits. PCR amplification using the specific P1 and P2 primers to C. lunata based on the Clg2p Ras protein gene sequences resulted in approx. 870 base pairs for all DNA of C. lunata analyzed, confirming the identification of C. lunata. In vitro, both chitosan nano and non-nano scale effectively inhibited mycelial growth by reducing linear mycelium and biomass and sporulation of C. lunata. In vivo, chitosan nanoscale at 2.0 mg mL^?1 greatly reduced the infection and the lesion diameter of C. lunata inoculated fruits after a week and effectively induced defense-related enzyme activity of PO, PPO, and PAL. This report is the first recording of fruit blight and rots on olive caused by C. lunata, as a new disease. Also, we report the in vitro and vivo toxicity of nanoparticles of chitosan as a natural elicitor, effectively inducing defense-related enzymes against C. lunata.

     

苏南苏中苏北地区3个杂草稻生物型萌发特性比较研究

为了搞清楚江苏地区杂草稻不同生物型在萌发特性上的差异,选择了苏南、苏中和苏北地区3个杂草稻生物型及2个常规栽培稻品种,采用种子生测法,进行了温度、水势、盐分、pH值和埋土深度对杂草稻与常规栽培稻种子萌发影响的研究。结果表明,在萌发适宜温度范围方面,JT-3、JD-4〉SY63〉GY-LZC〉WYJ7;不同水势条件下,JT-3、JD-4的萌发率〉GY-LZC的萌发率〉常规栽培稻的萌发率。JT-3、JD-4在每个盐浓度处理下的萌发率〉GY-LZC的萌发率;在pH值7~8范围之外,JT-3、JD-4的萌发率〉GY-LZC的萌发率〉常规栽培稻萌发率;当埋土深度在4~7 cm范围内,常规栽培稻的出苗率〉杂草稻。