New host for raspberry bushy dwarf virus: arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus)

Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) was detected in three new host plants inRubus species,i.e., arctic bramble (R. arcticus ssp.arcticus), Alaskan arctic bramble (R. arcticus ssp.stellatus) and their hybrid (R. arcticus L. nothosubsp.stellarcticus G. Larsson). The virus was identified as RBDV by the symptoms elicited in the test plantsChenopodium quinoa andC. amaranticolor, by sedimentation profile in sucrose density gradient, by RNA banding pattern in agarose gel electrophoresis, by protein analysis of the purified viruses in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and by Western blotting. There was a high incidence of RBDV-infected plants in the experimental plots. The presence of the virus in arctic bramble did not always induce foliar symptoms. However, yellowing of the leaves around central and lateral veins was quite frequently observed, especially in spring and autumn.     

Water use traits and survival mechanisms of psammophytes in arid ecosystems

A combination of dune-scale observation to distinguish psammophyte distribution, field experiments to determine gradients of soil moisture and physicochemical properties, and controlled quantitative manipulation for psammophytes water use traits was employed to study an arid desert margin area in China. This study aims to: (1) interpret the survival mechanisms of plants in arid desert ecosystems, especially for pioneer species; (2) interpret the links among distribution pattern, stress-gradients, and water use traits; (3) discuss the mechanisms and probable succession processes under natural fixation for artificial ecosystem rehabilitation; and (4) discuss the possibility of recognizing quantified water use traits as a predictor to compare the variations in adaptability among different species. We classified seven psammophytes into three major types in terms of water use: prodigal, moderate, and frugal plants. Results showed that vegetation cover of all the dominant species, including shrubs and herbs, was negatively correlated with diurnal transpiration at rhizosphere moisture (P < 0.01, R² = 0.94). Herbaceous pioneer species (e.g., Agriophyllum squarrosum) survive harsh environments (shifting, hot and arid surface of dunes) by prodigal water use (high transpiration rate), low species cover, and fast production (high water use efficiency, which peaks at low soil moisture). By contrast, intrusive species (e.g., Eragrostis poaeoides) behaved as frugal plants to survive drought, thereby maintaining high vegetation cover and biomass, as well as soil water equilibration.     

Partitioning evapotranspiration of desert plants under different water regimes in the inland Heihe River Basin,Northwestern China

Plant transpiration (T), soil evaporation (E), and the proportion of evaporation in evapotranspiration (ET), and their patterns of change were analyzed in a desert habitat along the middle and lower reaches of the Heihe River Basin, Gansu Province, China. Typical desert plants with different life forms were selected and small lysimeter observations were conducted; various species were measured under two soil water regimes using 50% (FC 50%) and 20% (FC 20%) of field capacity in 2 years. Under the FC 50% treatment the observed ratio of T to ET of desert plants was less than one-third, making the ratio of E to ET greater than two-thirds; the proportion of T to ET of desert plants increased to above 40%, and that of E declined to below 60% under the FC 20% treatment. The lowest T of desert plants was 130–140 mm based on the plant crown projection area. The characteristic coefficient of ET of desert plants was twice that of the characteristic coefficient of transpiration. This study found that when ET was measured for the same desert plant species growing in different regions, the ET differed significantly (P < 0.05) under the same water regimes; when comparing different plant species in the same region no obvious differences in the transpiration water requirement and ET were observed. The proportion of T in ET increased significantly and E in ET decreased markedly (P < 0.05), if the soil moisture content declined to where the plants experienced water stress.     

Intraspecific variation in Capsella bursa-pastoris in plant quality traits for insect herbivores

The arable plant Capsella bursa‐pastoris is phenotypically variable in many life history traits, particularly time from germination to flowering. The hypothesis was investigated that, associated with this variation, there are differences in traits that influence plant quality for insect herbivores. Significant within‐species variation was found in plant growth, leaf surface characteristics and tissue nutrient composition among 21 accessions of Capsella. Short flowering time plants exhibited slow vegetative growth, relatively large shoot nitrogen content, high leaf hair densities and differences in phloem composition, compared with long flowering time plants. Insect herbivore response to distinctive trait combinations was assessed on a subset of seven accessions using the phloem‐feeding aphids Aphis fabae and Myzus persicae. Variation in aphid performance was small but significant, with 15–25% fewer nymphs produced on plant variants that exhibited greater tissue water content and low tissue C:N ratio (A. fabae) or on variants with less phloem nitrogen (M. persicae). The differential responses exhibited by the two aphid species to the test accessions confirmed that quantifying intraspecific plant variation is a necessary first step in understanding plant functional diversity and its impact on consumers in arable systems.     

Intraspecific variation in host susceptibility and climatic factors mediate epidemics of sudden oak death in western US forests

Umbellularia californica is one of the key infectious hosts of the exotic Phytophthora ramorum, which causes sudden oak death (SOD) in California and Oregon forests. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the epidemiologically relevant parameters for SOD in California and southern Oregon, including potential differences between the two states. Experimental infection of U. californica leaves was optimal when leaves were wet for 6–12 h, temperature was approximately 19°C and pathogen concentration was approximately 2·7 × 10⁴ zoospores mL^?1. Seasonal variation in host susceptibility and disease incidence was examined for two populations by inoculating detached leaves at 12 dates and by monitoring naturally infected leaves, respectively. Susceptibility of U. californica and disease incidence varied significantly in time and the variation was highest for both in spring. Susceptibility of trees from 17 natural populations from California and southern Oregon was assessed in detached leaf inoculations. One California and three southern Oregon populations had significantly and repeatable lower average susceptibility in artificial inoculations, but differences among three selected California and Oregon populations were not significant in inoculations of seedlings grown from seed in a common garden. This study concludes that U. californica susceptibility has a large environmental component, yet still predicts potential disease severity in different sites especially where infestations are young or the pathogen has not yet arrived. The accuracy and utility of predictive risk models for P. ramorum will be enhanced by the inclusion of both the environmental and host susceptibility components.     

Uptake of chemicals from foliar deposits: Effects of plant species and molecular structure

The uptake from foliar deposits of 10 ¹⁴C-labelled compounds into each of 10 species of field-grown plants was measured 26 h after deposition by combustion of leaf tissue after removal of surface deposits. The compounds, which included eight pesticides, covered a wide range of lipophilicity and each was formulated in the same way; they were applied as droplets with a microsyringe. Uptake varied greatly between the species. All compounds were taken up well into maize and Xanthium pennsylvanicum, whereas relatively little entered the leaves of apple or orange. Uptake into the six other species varied according to the compound. Amongst the eight non-polar compounds, no relationship between the rate of uptake and molecular size was discerned, and only in X. pennsylvanicum was uptake related to the partition coefficient and water solubility. Considering all the compounds, weak relationships were observed between molecular cross-sectional area and uptake into four species. The range of the uptake rates (×130) was small compared with those of octan-1-ol-water partition coefficients (×10¹⁰) and water solublities (×10⁷) shown by the 10 compounds. Possible reasons for the absence of correlations between the uptake and the molecular properties considered are discussed. The results are consistent with either separate routes of cuticular entry for non-polar and polar compounds, or a common route for both types of compound. The generally poor uptake by apple and orange leaves, which may be related to their thick cuticles, highlights the need to develop special formulations to optimise uptake into these species.     

Growth and patterns of resource allocation in Eupatorium odoratum L. in the secondary successional environments following slash and burn agriculture (Jhum)

Biomass, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in Eupatorium odoratum L. (Asteraceae), an abundant early successional perennial weed, were studied in seral stages after slash and burn. Increment in individual biomass and nutrient uptake declined with increasing time after fallow. A higher proportion of the available resources was allocated to the supporting organs but a lower proportion to the photosynthetic organ in the older fields compared to recently fallowed fields. The allocation of biomass to reproduction, and also nutrient content, decreased during seral development. However, cost of reproduction to the plants (considered as the proportion of increment in biomass or nutrient uptake during the current growing season) was much higher in the older fields than the younger ones. Growth was adversely affected by low nutrient availability in soil in the recently fallowed fields but the allocation pattern remained unaffected. Biomass was not allocated in the same manner as nutrients. A higher proportion of nitrogen and phosphorus compared to that of biomass and potassium was devoted to reproduction in all the fields.     

Physiologic response of six plant species grown in two contrasting soils and irrigated with brackish groundwater and RO concentrate

With declining availability of fresh surface water, brackish groundwater is increasingly used for irrigation in the arid and semi-arid southwestern United States. Brackish water can be desalinated by reverse osmosis (RO) but RO results in a highly saline concentrate. Disposal of concentrate is a major problem hindering augmentation of inland desalination in arid areas. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of texture and saline water irrigation on the physiology of six species (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt., Hordeum vulgare L., Lepidium alyssoides A. Gray, Distichlis stricta (L.) Greene, Panicum virgatum L., and ×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus [Secale?×?Triticum]). All species were grown in two contrasting soils and irrigated with the same volume of control water (EC 0.9?dS/m), brackish groundwater (4.1?dS/m), RO concentrate (EC 8.0?dS/m). Several plant physiological measurements were made during the growing season including height, number of stem nodes, average internodal length, number of leaves, leaf length, photosynthetic rates, stomatal conductance rates, transpiration rates, leaf temperatures, stem water potential, and osmotic potential. P. virgatum was the only species that showed significant decrease in plant height and growth with texture and irrigation water salinity. Except for A. canescens and L. alyssoides, number and length of leaves decreased with increasing salinity for all species. No significant differences were observed for photosynthetic, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates by soil texture or irrigation water salinity. Stem water potential and osmotic potential did show some significant influence by soil texture and irrigation water salinity. Based on the results, RO concentrate can be reused to grow all six species in sand; however, growth of all species showed some limitations in clay. Local reuse of RO concentrate along desert margins with regular soil and environmental quality monitoring can accelerate implementation of inland desalination for sustaining food security.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improved plant growth and nutrient acquisition of desert ephemeral Plantago minuta under variable soil water conditions

Desert ephemeral plants play an important role in desert ecosystem.Soil water availability is considered as the major restrictive factor limiting the growth of ephemeral plants.Moreover,arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AM fungi) are widely reported to improve the growth of desert ephemerals.The present study aimed to test the hypothesis of that AM fungi could alleviate drought stress of desert ephemeral Plantago minuta,and AM fungal functions reduced with the improvement of soil water content.A pot experiment was carried out with three levels of soil water contents(4.5%,9.0%,and 15.8%(w/w)),and three AM inoculation treatments(Glomus mosseae,Glomus etunicatum and non-inoculation).The results indicate that mycorrhizal colonization rate decreased with the increase of soil water availability.Inoculation improved plant growth and N,P and K acquisition in both shoots and roots regardless water treatments.When comparing the two fungi,plants inoculated with G.mosseae performed better than those inoculated with G.etunicatum in terms of plant growth and nutrient acquisition.These results showed that ameliorative soil water did not suppress arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal functions in improving growth and nutrient acquisition of desert ephemeral Plantago minuta.     

Total phenol,anthocyanin, and terpenoid content,photosynthetic rate,and nutrient uptake of Solanum nigrum L. and Digitaria sanguinalis L. as affected by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation

Over the last decades, tillage, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides have reduced the beneficial fungal population size in arable soils. Though soil inoculation can be a practical way to restore arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) population size, weeds may also be benefited, as well. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of three AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizoglomus fasciculatum, and Rhizoglomus intraradices) on photosynthetic rate, secondary metabolites content, reproductive organs percentage and nutrient uptake in Solanum nigrum L. and Digitaria sanguinalis L. weed species. Our results showed species variation in response to AMF inoculation, so that, while inoculation with R. intraradices fungal species decreased total biomass in S. nigrum plants significantly, it increased total biomass of D. sanguinalis plants by 26–49%. In addition, inoculation with F. mosseae species increased phenol, anthocyanin, and total terpenoid content in S. nigrum plants much more than D. sanguinalis. Increased photosynthetic rate, secondary metabolites content, and flowering percentage in AMF‐inoculated S. nigrum plants show the enhanced competitive ability and allelopathic potential of this weed when associated with AMF, which makes it a good competitor against other plant species in the environment.     

Characterizing the variation in aggressiveness and sporulation of the NA1 and EU1 lineages of Phytophthora ramorum in Oregon

Phytophthora ramorum, the cause of sudden oak death, is an invasive pathogen present in parts of coastal California and south-western Oregon forests. The majority of these forest infestations have been caused by the NA1 clonal lineage. In 2015, the EU1 lineage of P. ramorum was isolated from a tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) tree located in a mixed-conifer forest of Curry County, Oregon. In order to evaluate the threat to Oregon forests of the EU1 lineage relative to the established NA1 lineage, a series of experiments was conducted comparing aggressiveness and sporulation of NA1 and EU1 isolates on logs and seedlings in the growth chamber and forest. There was no significant difference in lesion size on logs inoculated with NA1 and EU1 isolates for any of the tree species tested. Across all seedling experiments differences among isolates within lineage, in terms of both aggressiveness and sporulation, were more commonly observed than differences among lineages. Site to site variation in tanoak sporulation, as measured by rain bucket baiting, appears to be correlated with the number of P. ramorum-positive seedlings detected at each site.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community structure and diversity are affected by host plant species and soil depth in the Mu Us Desert,northwest China

The vertical diversity and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi were investigated in the Mu Us Desert, northwest China. Soils were sampled to 50?cm in depth in the rhizospheres of Hedysarum laeve, Artemisia ordosica, and Psammochloa villosa and 44 AM fungal species belonging to 10 genera were isolated. Several of these species have peculiar morphological features, which are distinct from other habitats. AM fungal diversity and distribution differed significantly among the three host plants and the five soil layers. Spore density, species richness, and the Shannon-Wiener index of AM fungi were 0.55–4.3 spores g^?1 soil, 7–36 and 1.78–2.89, respectively. Spore density and species richness had a significant positive correlation with soil total phosphorus content (0.0377–0.1129?mg?g^?1), and a negative correlation with soil pH (7.19–7.64). Nonmetric multidimensional scaling, PerMANOVA, and structural equation model analysis demonstrated that host plant species and soil depth significantly and directly influenced the structure of AM fungal communities. We concluded that diversity and distribution of AM fungi might be influenced by plant species, soil depth patterns, and soil nutrient availability in desert ecosystems. This research into AM fungal communities may lead to the development of AM fungi treatment for the mitigation of soil erosion and desertification using mycorrhizal plants, such as H. laeve, A. ordosica, and P. villosa.     

Small‐scale heterogeneity in the soil environment influences the distribution of lawn grass and weeds

The association of the micro‐scale distribution of six plant species in a lawn, including the lawn grass, Zoysia japonica, with the soil's environmental factors was studied in an urban park in Kyoto, Japan. The cover of each plant species was scored in July and August. The relative elevation, depth of waterlogging after a shower, soil water content, and soil hardness were measured in 144 quadrats in a 12 m × 12 m plot. The subsurface soil was sampled at every fourth quadrat and was analyzed for the percentage of fine earth and the levels of total carbon, total nitrogen, and available phosphate. Three correlation criteria, namely the Pearson's, Mantel, and partial Mantel correlations, showed considerable disagreement in indicating whether or not there was a significant correlation between each plant species and environmental variable. Although the reason for the disagreement was not always clear, some unimodal or inverted unimodal responses of a plant species against an environmental factor, which was not detectable by the Pearson's correlation coefficient, were indicated to be significant by the Mantel or partial Mantel tests. There were four plant–environment pairs that had a significant correlation in all three criteria: Juncus tenuis in August had a positive correlation with the soil water content in July and August and a negative correlation with soil hardness and Z. japonica showed a negative correlation with the water content in August. The results suggest that the small patches of lawn with poor drainage are the sites of invasion by J. tenuis.     

Laboratory survival of Drosophila suzukii under simulated winter conditions of the Pacific Northwest and seasonal field trapping in five primary regions of small and stone fruit production in the United States

BACKGROUND: Drosophila suzukii was first found in Oregon in August 2009. The threat of this pest to regional small and stone fruit production industries led to investigations on its overwintering capabilities in fruit‐growing regions in the Pacific Northwest. Knowledge of its cold tolerance will help in the development of computer models to forecast seasonal population growth and decline. RESULTS: Of 1500 adults or pupae, 22 (1.4%) individuals survived the 84 day experimental chilling period. Most (86%) of the survivors were subjected to 10 °C temperature treatments. Survival decreased significantly at lower temperature treatments. Freezing temporarily increased the mortality rate but did not significantly affect overall mortality over the trial period. Flies that emerged from pupae are estimated to survive for up to 103–105 days at 10 °C and for shorter periods at lower temperatures. Field trapping in five fruit production areas has demonstrated overwintering survival in California and Oregon, but lower survival is predicted in Eastern Washington and Michigan. CONCLUSION: The experiments reported here indicate that long‐term survival of D. suzukii is unlikely at temperatures below 10 °C. Field data from five climatic regions indicated extended low initial D. suzukii field presence in 2010 in all regions except California, where field presence was recorded earlier. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

A preliminary study of water use strategy of desert plants in Dunhuang,China

Water is a restrictive factor for plant growth and ecosystem stability in arid and semiarid areas. The dynamics of water availability in soils and water use by plants are consequently critical to ecosystem functions, e.g. maintaining a high resistance to the changing climate. Plant water use strategies, including water-use efficiency(WUE) and the main water source that a plant species utilizes, play an important role in the evaluation of stability and sustainability of a plantation. The water use strategies of desert plants(Tamarix chinensis, Alhagi sparsifolia, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Sophora alopecuroides, Bassia dasyphylla and Nitraria sphaerocarpa) in three different habitats(saline land, sandy land and Gobi) in Dunhuang(located in the typical arid area of northwestern China) were studied. The stable isotope of oxygen was used to determine the main water source and leaf carbon isotope discrimination was used to estimate the long-term WUE of plant species in the summer of 2010. The results suggest that: 1) the studied desert plants took up soil water below the depth of 80 cm; 2) T. chinensis in the three habitats used deeper soil water and T. chinensis in the Gobi site had higher WUE than those in the saline land and the sandy land. The results indicated that desert plants in Dunhuang depended on stable water source and maintained high WUE to survive in water limited environments.     

The influence of citrus rootstocks on the relationship between the mite Brevipalpus phoenicis and citrus leprosis disease

BACKGROUND: Leprosis is one of the most serious citrus plant diseases. Leprosis‐affected plants, especially sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck], which is the most widely cultivated citrus fruit worldwide, show reduced photosynthetic capacity and severe defoliation. The aim was to evaluate the relationship between the Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) vector mite and citrus leprosis disease in Pera sweet orange plants grafted on different rootstocks. Data were analysed using numerical classification and conventional statistical analysis (ANOVA). RESULTS: Both viruliferous and non‐viruliferous B. phoenicis populations increased in number on plants maintained at low soil water content. Among the evaluated rootstocks, Sunki mandarin proved least favourable for mite population increase. Furthermore, the viruliferous mite population increased more rapidly than the non‐viruliferous mite population. CONCLUSION: The Cleopatra rootstock showed low variability in leaf nitrogen content, low mite number and low leprosis severity, thereby producing the most favourable results. Under appropriate moisture conditions, the Sunki rootstock produced the best results, showing the least severe leprosis. Rangpur lime rootstock grown in soil with varying water content showed the greatest variation in foliar nitrogen content, mite number and severity of leprosis and is considered to be the most difficult rootstock to manage. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Studies on competition between wheat and Chenopodium album L.

Interspecific competition between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Chenopodium album L., was studied in pots using the replacement series design of de Wit. Competitive interference for phosphorus, and to some extent for nitrogen, between the two species was noted. This played a major part in limitation of growth of wheat plants by C. album, whereas wheat exhibited greater non-competitive interference in restricting potassium uptake by the weed. Increasing interference from the weed resulted in significant reductions in wheat grain size and yield.     

Growth response of six weed species and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) to increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus

A glasshouse experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth of six common weed species growing alone or in competition with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare). Capsella bursa‐pastoris, Chenopodium album, Papaver rhoeas, Sinapis arvensis, Spergula arvensis, Viola arvensis and spring barley were grown in pots with different levels of nitrogen (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg N ha^?1) or phosphorus (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 60 kg P ha^?1). The aboveground parts of the plants were harvested after 7 weeks and the dry weight of shoots, percentage N and P content of the shoot and uptake of N and P were determined. A linear or a polynomial model was used to describe the data. Growing alone, Spergula arvensis was the only weed species that increased its dry weight at the same rate as barley. Weed species with low dry weight increase had larger increases in percentage N or P content than barley, indicating a luxury accumulation of nutrients. The uptake of N and P per pot did not differ much between weeds and barley. V. arvensis and P. rhoeas accumulated least nutrients (per cent of dry matter) and Spergula arvensis accumulated most. Weeds grew poorly in competition with barley. The percentage N and P content in barley did not change when they grew in competition with weeds.     

Influence of edaphic factors on plant distribution and diversity in the arid area of Xinjiang,Northwest China

The influence of edaphic factors on plant distribution is essential to community ecology and important for vegetation restoration and management in arid ecosystems. In this study, desert plant distribution and diversity as well as soil water, salinity, and nutrients were measured in the Ebinur Lake Wetland Nature Reserve (ELWNR) in arid Northwest China. We determined relationships between plant distribution and soil factors along a transect with increasing distance from the river and created optimal models using soil factors to explain variations in plant diversity. In general, soil factors decreased with increasing distance from the river. Soil volumetric water content (SVWC), electrical conductivity (EC), pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) were closely related to plant distribution. According to canonical correspondence analysis, plants along the transect were divided into three groups: saline–alkaline tolerant, drought tolerant, and high P-demanding. SVWC, pH, soil organic carbon (C), N, P, and S account for 93.8% of the variations in plant diversity in the ELWNR. Compared with other soil factors, S explained the largest percentage of variations in diversity when single soil variables were considered in generalized additive models (R²?=?38.9%). Our results suggest increases in soil pH, P, N, and S would improve plant diversity significantly. We found differences among species groups in preference for habitat, and N and S content had a significant positive effect of on plant diversity, providing a scientific reference for plant restoration and saline soil remediation in desert ecosystems.     

Are pre‐spraying growing conditions a major determinant of herbicide efficacy?

To evaluate the effect of pre‐spraying growing conditions on herbicide efficacy, two years of experimentation were conducted in which Persicaria maculosa plants were exposed to different light intensities for 1–4 days before metribuzin treatment. Specific leaf area, rather than plant growth rate or plant size, was the only parameter that correlated well with herbicide efficacy in both years of experimentation. The negative relationship between the ED₅₀ and the specific leaf area indicates that leaf characteristics might be an important determinant of herbicide efficacy, for instance through an effect on herbicide uptake. In the third year of experimentation this hypothesis was further investigated by raising six cohorts of weed plants at a 1‐week interval and thus exposing them to a range of weather conditions. Clear relationships between uptake and herbicide efficacy were found for a combination of four plant species (Solanum nigrum, Senecio vulgaris, Chenopodium album and Brassica napus) and two herbicides (phenmedipham and bentazone). For phenmedipham, uptake was negatively correlated with global radiation and positively correlated with relative humidity. For the herbicide bentazone the opposite was found. These results were not species‐specific. This study shows the importance of the sensitivity of herbicide × species combinations and indicates that pre‐spraying weather information is relevant for the development of reduced dose rate recommendations.