Concepts of plant health – reviewing and challenging the foundations of plant protection

Plant health is a frequently used but ill‐defined term. However, there is an extensive literature on general health definitions and health criteria in human medicine. Taking up ideas from these philosophical debates, concepts of plant health are reviewed and a framework developed to locate these concepts according to their position in several philosophical controversies. In particular, (i) the role of values in defining plant health in a naturalist versus a normativist approach; (ii) negative and positive definitions of plant health; (iii) reductionist versus holistic perspectives; (iv) the focus on functionality versus resilience, i.e. the ability of the plant to perform under stress with or without human interference; (v) materialist versus vitalist approaches; and (vi) biocentric versus anthropocentric views, are surveyed. The ways in which these perspectives relate to mainstream and alternative approaches to plant protection are explored and we suggest how the contradicting views might be reconciled. It is argued that none of these perspectives is without inherent contradictions, but that by combining contrasting approaches it is possible to provide a comprehensive though fuzzy concept. Rather than giving a new definition of plant health, a conceptual framework is developed that suggests what questions may be answered in debates on plant health issues and how such debates could be organized.     

浅析植物检疫检查站在植物检疫工作中的作用

本文概述了在新疆与内地间建立植物检疫检查站的必要性,分析了建立检查站在完善重大植物疫情阻截带建设、促进和强化植物产地检疫、全面加强重大植物疫情的分区治理、推进完善植物检疫监管和实行区域协作、联防联控等植物检疫工作方面的作用,认为植物检疫检查站在阻截有害生物传播蔓延方面成效显著。     

木霉对植物的促生及诱导抗性研究进展

木霉不仅能够直接抑制植物病原菌的生长,还可通过定殖于植物的根部引起植物新陈代谢的改变。本文综述了木霉在植物根部定殖后,通过产生植物生长调节剂、抑制或降解根际有害物质、增加养分利用率以促进植物生长以及通过产生激发子诱导植物形成胞壁沉积物、合成抗菌物质以诱导植物局部或系统抗性的研究进展,以期为进一步扩大木霉在农业生产中的应用提供参考。     

北京市湿地入侵植物群落与本地植物群落的生物多样性比较

为明确外来入侵植物对本地湿地植物多样性的影响，在北京市湿地选择23个样地共245个样方进行物种多样性调查，并从不同植物性状数据库获取样方中所有植物的株高、叶长、叶宽、叶面积和比叶面积等10个功能性状数据，对比分析入侵群落与本地群落的物种多样性、系统发育多样性和功能多样性特征。结果显示，在北京市湿地共记录到26种外来入侵草本植物，隶属10科19属，其中，菊科外来入侵植物种类最多，有10种。除比叶面积、叶片碳含量和株高的系统发育信号显著外，其余7种植物功能性状的系统发育信号均不显著，表明大多数功能性状未表现出系统发育保守性。入侵群落所有物种的物种多样性指标Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、物种丰富度指数和Simpson优势度指数以及系统发育多样性指标谱系多样性和平均最近谱系发育距离均显著高于本地群落和入侵群落本地物种，而入侵群落本地物种的功能分散指数和Rao''Q二次熵指数均显著高于本地群落，表明外来物种入侵改变了湿地植物的生物多样性，且外来物种入侵后群落谱系多样性趋于发散，说明与本地植物亲缘关系越远的入侵物种越容易在湿地群落中建立种群，符合达尔文归化假说。     

Comparative epidemiology of zoosporic plant pathogens

Loss of zoospores has happened independently several times in different phylogenic lines and has, it is claimed, no major phylogenetic significance. But whether or not, how, and under which conditions plant pathogens retain the ability to produce motile asexual spores has fundamental importance from an ecological and epidemiological perspective. Recent molecular investigations of the early evolution of fungi and oomycetes are shedding light on the issue of zoospore loss in organisms able to cause plant diseases. Zoospore loss may have accompanied the development of new forms of dispersal adapted to the terrestrial environment, or the simplification processes which often follow the shift to parasitic or biotrophic life-forms. In this review we consider hybridisation events between Phytophthora species, long distance dispersal of oomycetes, sporangia and zoospore survival, direct and indirect infection processes and newly observed sporulating structures. These aspects are all relevant features for an understanding of the epidemiology of zoosporic plant pathogens. Disease management should not be based on the presumption that the zoosporic stage is a weak link in the life cycle. Oomycete plant pathogens show remarkable flexibility in their life cycles and ability to adapt to changing environmental circumstances.

紫外辐射对植物病害影响的研究进展

紫外(UV)辐射作用于"病菌一植物"病害系统影响植物病害的发生发展,主要包括两个方面一是UV辐射对植物病原菌孢子的萌发、芽管伸长、菌丝生长等光生物学效应,不同种属的菌种对UV辐射存在不同的响应机制;二是寄主植物从形态、生理生化等方面对UV作出响应,导致植物的抗病性发生变化.研究证实,中、短波UV辐射可抑制病菌孢子萌发,减少病害的发病率;长波UV辐射对病菌孢子的萌发有诱导作用,可提高病害发病率.根据UV辐射水平、病菌侵染程度及植物抗性品种等因素的影响,UV辐射对不同植物病害系统也存在不同的作用机制.该文作者就近年来国内外有关辐射对植物病害影响的研究进展进行综述.     

Extraction and electrophoretic analysis of large dsRNAs from desiccated plant tissues infected with plant viruses and biotrophic fungi

Extraction and electrophoretic analysis of large dsRNAs from plant and fungal tissues has been used successfully to detect RNA viruses infecting plants, fungi, and oomycetes. We modified a previously reported dsRNA extraction protocol and used it to detect a wide variety of plant and putative fungal viruses from infected plant tissues. The modified protocol was used successfully to extract large dsRNAs from 50 to 70 mg of desiccated plant tissues infected with acute and persistent RNA viruses and from plant tissues infected with biotrophic fungi causing rusts and powdery mildew diseases. The protocol proved to be efficient, fast, economic and versatile and requires relatively small amounts of desiccated tissue.     

Plant responses to plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria

Non-pathogenic soilborne microorganisms can promote plant growth, as well as suppress diseases. Plant growth promotion is taken to result from improved nutrient acquisition or hormonal stimulation. Disease suppression can occur through microbial antagonism or induction of resistance in the plant. Several rhizobacterial strains have been shown to act as plant growth-promoting bacteria through both stimulation of growth and induced systemic resistance (ISR), but it is not clear in how far both mechanisms are connected. Induced resistance is manifested as a reduction of the number of diseased plants or in disease severity upon subsequent infection by a pathogen. Such reduced disease susceptibility can be local or systemic, result from developmental or environmental factors and depend on multiple mechanisms. The spectrum of diseases to which PGPR-elicited ISR confers enhanced resistance overlaps partly with that of pathogen-induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Both ISR and SAR represent a state of enhanced basal resistance of the plant that depends on the signalling compounds jasmonic acid and salicylic acid, respectively, and pathogens are differentially sensitive to the resistances activated by each of these signalling pathways. Root-colonizing Pseudomonas bacteria have been shown to alter plant gene expression in roots and leaves to different extents, indicative of recognition of one or more bacterial determinants by specific plant receptors. Conversely, plants can alter root exudation and secrete compounds that interfere with quorum sensing (QS) regulation in the bacteria. Such two-way signalling resembles the interaction of root-nodulating Rhizobia with legumes and between mycorrhizal fungi and roots of the majority of plant species. Although ISR-eliciting rhizobacteria can induce typical early defence-related responses in cell suspensions, in plants they do not necessarily activate defence-related gene expression. Instead, they appear to act through priming of effective resistance mechanisms, as reflected by earlier and stronger defence reactions once infection occurs.     

Growth traits of the exotic plant Hydrocotyle vulgaris and the evenness of resident plant communities are mediated by community age,not species diversity

Biological invasions are determined by interactions between resident plant communities and exotic plants. Time of invasion and species diversity of resident plant communities may greatly affect exotic plant invasions. We assembled low‐ and high‐diversity resident plant communities by sowing seeds of four and eight grassland species, respectively, and at each of three time periods (1, 4 and 7 weeks after sowing), the resident communities were invaded by Hydrocotyle vulgaris or not. We also constructed a plant community with H. vulgaris alone. Presence of H. vulgaris had no effect on biomass of the resident communities or biomass of each component species. Community age significantly affected biomass and evenness of the resident communities, and their competition with H. vulgaris, but the priority effect of the resident communities was slight. Increasing species richness did not change the interaction between H. vulgaris and the resident plant communities. These findings suggest a weaker competitive exclusionary effect of H. vulgaris on the resident communities with early germination, and H. vulgaris tended to have no significant impact on intact resident terrestrial plant communities. Thus, the potential risk of H. vulgaris invasion is low, especially in the communities with young age.     

CABI/EPPO distribution maps of plant pests and plant diseases and their important role in plant quarantine

Never before has the need for accurate distribution data for plant pests been so important. CAB International (CABI) and EPPO are international organizations with a long history and strong involvement in collating and disseminating information on the global distribution of plant pests. Distribution Maps of Plant Pests and Distribution Maps of Plant Diseases, first published in 1951 and 1942, respectively, are respected, referenced sources of such data, expertly compiled and validated and used by plant health organizations around the world. They have been joint CABI/EPPO publications since 1997, and provide an essential complement to expanding knowledge on plant pest distribution. The Distribution Maps continue to be the most authoritative sources of information on the presence and extent of specific plant pests, sourced from the 4.5 million records in CAB Abstracts as a basis and numerous other sources. They also feed directly into CABI's Crop Protection Compendium (CPC) and EPPO's Plant Quarantine Data Retrieval System (PQR) databases. Their history, compilation and value are discussed.     

Bibliography of plant resistance to arthropods in vegetables, 1977–1991

This bibliography includes literature on plant resistance to insects and mites in vegetables from 1977 to 1991. It is arranged by plant family and crop plant, and has references to onions, garlic, cabbage and other crucifers, carrot, parsnip, celery, sweet potato, tomato, potato, eggplant, peppers, cucumber, melons, other cucurbits, spinach, lettuce, and various peas and beans. There is an index by arthropod species, a review of the literature, and tables listing references by subject area within plant resistance: screening; mechanisms; plant characteristics correlated with resistance; inheritance and traditional breeding programs; use of biotechnology; releases of resistant germplasm; comparisons of marketable yield; stability of resistance over different locations and insect populations; interactions with cultural methods and plant phenology, insecticide efficacy, and biological control; and effect on plant disease vectored by insects.     

Fertilization affects severity of disease caused by fungal plant pathogens

Commercial fertilizers are commonly applied in farming to maximize crop yield. Lifting nutrient limitation to plant growth when water and light conditions are sufficient may permit plants to grow to the maximum of their ability; however, plant ability to resist pathogen infections is also modified. A meta‐analysis was conducted on 57 articles to identify the way plant disease severity of fungal pathogen‐induced infection is modified following fertilization, and the key regulators of such an effect. The analysis largely focused on N fertilization events in order to minimize the effect of heterogeneity that could result from differences in the way different nutrient fertilizers are able to modify plant disease severity. Fungal pathogen identity and fungal pathogen lifestyle were the main significant regulators affecting the extent of the modification of plant disease resistance following N fertilization, whereas contradictory results were obtained with the susceptibility of plant species. No differences were detected between pot or field experiments and following artificial or natural infection. Although in the vast majority of instances N fertilization increased disease severity, characteristic plant species and fungal pathogens could be identified for which disease severity following N fertilization declined. It is concluded that the potential of some plant species such as Solanum spp. to show reduced disease severity following N fertilization requires further investigation, as in such cases N fertilization could potentially be used as an additional means of suppressing fungal pathogens.     

植物线虫分子鉴定研究进展

植物线虫可危害农作物和林木,对它们的准确鉴定是防治植物线虫病害的基础。由于植物线虫很小,而且在形态上种间常有覆盖,而种内有较大的变异,仅依据形态特征很难鉴定。分子鉴定技术给植物线虫的检测和鉴定提供了快速、精确、可靠的方法。文章综述了植物线虫分子的DNA提取、分子鉴定靶标序列的选择及分子鉴定方法等方面的研究进展及现状,以促进对植物线虫分子鉴定更深入的研究。     

Emerging roles of molecular chaperones in plant innate immunity

Molecular chaperones and co-chaperones are proteins that aid in the folding and assembly of other macromolecular structures or complexes. Although growing evidence suggests that molecular chaperones and co-chaperones play critical roles in plant innate immunity, the molecular mechanism of how these proteins contribute to defense signaling remains largely unknown. In this review, we highlight the cytoplasmic chaperones, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident lectin chaperones, and enzymes that have been identified from genetic and “omic” approaches and shown to be involved in plant–microbe interactions. We also discuss the roles of molecular chaperones in plant innate immunity and emerging mechanisms underlying the biogenesis of plant pathogen-associated molecular pattern receptors in the ER.     

Effect of the rust fungus Puccinia chondrillina TU 788 on plant size and plant size variability in Chondrilla juncea

Chondrilla juncea is one of the most serious introduced weed species in Australia. Successful biological control has been achieved by the release of the rust fungus Puccinia chondrillina. Although P. chondrillina is thought to reduce the competitive ability of C. juncea by reducing plant size, the precise mechanism by which the pathogen controls its host is poorly understood. In this experiment, we examined the effect of P. chondrillina TU 788 infection on individual plant size, and size variability, in two genotypes (one resistant, one susceptible) of C. juncea. Exposure to P. chondrillina significantly reduced the average size of susceptible C. juncea plants, a reduction apparent in both roots and shoots. Plant size variability of the susceptible C. juncea genotype was also reduced by P. chondrillina. Plant size, and plant size variability of the resistant genotype were unaffected by exposure to rust, or association with rust‐affected plants. The effect of P. chondrillina on plant size in rust‐susceptible C. juncea plants shows how effective bio‐control of this weed may occur in field populations.     

Target the core: durable plant resistance against filamentous plant pathogens through effector recognition

Plant pathogens colonize their host through the secretion of effector proteins that modulate plant metabolism and immune responses to their benefit. Plants evolve towards effector recognition, leading to host immunity. Typically, pathogen effectors are targets for recognition through plant receptors that are encoded by resistance genes. Resistance gene mediated crop immunity puts a tremendous pressure on pathogens to adapt and alter their effector repertoire to overcome recognition. We argue that the type of effector that is recognized by the host may have considerable implications on the durability of resistance against filamentous plant pathogens. Effector genes that are conserved among pathogens and reside in core genome regions are most likely to hold indispensable virulence functions. Consequently, the cost for the pathogen to overcome recognition by the host is higher than for diversified, host‐specific effectors with a quantitative impact on virulence. Consequently, resistance genes that directly target conserved effector proteins without the interception of other effector proteins are potentially excellent resistance resources. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Effect of analogues of plant growth regulators on in vitro growth of eukaryotic plant pathogens

FGA (furfurylamine; 1,2,3,4 tetra- O -acetyl-β- d -glucose; adipic acid monoethyl ester), a chemical mixture of three analogues of plant growth regulators that increases the protection of tomato plants against phytopathogens, was demonstrated to have direct antimicrobial activity. It reduced the growth in vitro of the filamentous fungi Alternaria solani and Botrytis cinerea , and the oomycetes Phytophthora capsici and Phytophthora citrophthora (ED₅₀ 0·18–0·26% w/v, depending on species). The components of this mixture were also active against these phytopathogens, but sensitivity to the compounds was different for each pathogen. Adipic acid monoethyl ester (E) showed the highest and widest range of activity. Experiments on B. cinerea and A. solani indicated that this compound prevented spore germination in addition to mycelial growth and at high concentrations (0·5% w/v), inhibiting both the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the bacterium Escherichia coli . This ester retarded A. solani infection of tomato leaves, providing evidence for its efficacy in a biological context and its potential use in plant disease prevention.     

植物病毒在媒介昆虫体内的垂直传播研究进展

对于多数植物病毒而言,其在田间的自然扩散主要依赖昆虫等介体生物,而媒介昆虫的垂直传播是植物病毒长期存在并发生的重要原因。对媒介昆虫垂直传播病毒机制的研究不仅可以为未来开发高效低毒农药奠定基础,更可为植物病毒与昆虫的互作和病毒病的预测预报提供新的视野及角度。媒介昆虫在植物病毒传播过程中的具体作用在近几年被广泛研究。该文综述了近年来植物病毒在昆虫体内垂直传播的研究进展,包括昆虫传播植物病毒的方式、植物病毒在昆虫体内的垂直传播方式以及虫媒病毒垂直传播的可能机制等。在整个垂直传播的过程中,植物病毒的衣壳蛋白、磷蛋白和媒介昆虫唐氏综合症细胞黏附分子、硫酸乙酰肝素糖蛋白、热激蛋白以及卵黄原蛋白,甚至共生菌都有参与。最后,基于媒介昆虫和植物病毒的关系对未来植物病毒病的绿色防控和生物防控进行了展望。     

International plant protection; the role of FAO

Plant protection has many international aspects; it is also quickly changing, especially in relation to sustainability. FAO’s activities in plant protection are grouped in four major thrusts: plant quarantine, pesticide management, integrated pest management and migratory pest control. The International Plant Protection Convention defines the FAO’s activities in plant quarantine, while, in response to the GATT Uruguay Round, harmonization of plant quarantine is also being undertaken. Pesticide management activities address the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides and standard setting on pesticide residues. Integrated Pest Management is the core of the plant protection programme, together with international coordination of migratory pest control. All these activities are complemented by technical assistance programmes, including assistance with the establishment of plant protection services.FAO’s activities remain a compromise between what member countries see as desirable and what is affordable. Long term commitment is required to achieve result. New functions in quarantine and pesticide management have been taken up, but the international assessment of pesticides needs urgent attention. The paradigm change away from pesticide use will require further international cooperation. Substantial research and a new control system is needed for locust control.