Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Rhizobium leguminosarum on Growth,Photosynthetic Pigments and Blight Disease Complex of Pea

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Rhizobium leguminosarum alone and in combination were observed on the disease complex of pea caused by Meloidogyne incognita and Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi. Plants inoculated with M. incognita and P. syringae pv. pisi, alone or in combination, showed a significant reduction in plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid content compared to uninoculated controls. Use of ZnO NPs (0.10?ml^?1) as seed priming resulted in a greater increase in plant growth than 0.10?ml^?1 foliar spray. Plants inoculated with R. leguminosarum had better plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid content than plants without R. leguminosarum. Greater plant growth, chlorophyll and carotenoid content were observed when NPs primed seeds were grown with R. leguminosarum than the use of NPs foliar spray plus R. leguminosarum. Plants inoculated with R. leguminosarum showed higher root nodulation while only few nodules were observed in plants without R. leguminosarum. Both tested pathogens had adverse effect on nodulation, while use of ZnO NPs with R. leguminosarum also reduced nodulation. ZnO NPs and R. leguminosarum reduced blight disease indices, galling and nematode population. Use of ZnO NPs primed seeds with R. leguminosarum resulted in the highest reduction in disease indices, galling and nematode population. The segregation of various treatments in the biplot of principal component analysis demonstrates a suppressive role of ZnO NPs on blight disease complex of pea.

     

Natural products for pest control: an analysis of their role,value and future

Natural products (NPs) have long been used as pesticides and have broadly served as a source of inspiration for a great many commercial synthetic organic fungicides, herbicides and insecticides that are in the market today. In light of the continuing need for new tools to address an ever‐changing array of fungal, weed and insect pests, NPs continue to be a source of models and templates for the development of new pest control agents. Interestingly, an examination of the literature suggests that NP models exist for many of the pest control agents that were discovered by other means, suggesting that, had circumstances been different, these NPs could have served as inspiration for the discovery of a great many more of today's pest control agents. Here, an attempt is made to answer questions regarding the existence of an NP model for existing classes of pesticides and what is needed for the discovery of new NPs and NP models for pest control agents. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

施用纳米氧化锌对小麦籽粒锌含量和锌利用率的影响

采用田间小区试验,设置不施锌、土施硫酸锌、喷施硫酸锌、土喷结合硫酸锌以及土施纳米氧化锌、喷施纳米氧化锌和土喷结合纳米氧化锌7个处理,研究了不同锌肥施用方式对小麦产量、锌等微量元素含量和累积量以及锌利用率的影响。结果表明,各施锌处理对小麦籽粒产量均没有显著影响,而施用纳米氧化锌则显著增加籽粒锌含量,单独土施使锌含量从对照的18.9 mg·kg~(-1)增加至24.6 mg·kg~(-1),增幅达30%;单独喷施籽粒锌含量增加至28.4 mg·kg~(-1),增幅达50%;土喷结合处理籽粒锌含量增加至30.2 mg·kg~(-1),增幅达60%。单独喷施纳米氧化锌处理较硫酸锌处理提高籽粒锌强化指数近3倍,达到9.7 mg·kg~(-1);籽粒铁含量较喷施硫酸锌提高近2.5倍,达到58.9mg·kg~(-1)。同时,单独喷施纳米氧化锌显著增加了叶片锌累积量,使得地上部锌利用率达到35%,较硫酸锌处理增加近4倍,差异达到显著水平。由此可见,喷施纳米氧化锌较硫酸锌对提高小麦籽粒锌铁含量有更好的效果,可能由于纳米颗粒的小尺寸效应降低了叶片上锌的脱落。     

合成生物学助力链霉菌天然产物农药创制与产业化

病虫草害防控是国家总体安全建设的重要组成部分。微生物天然产物农药是病虫草害绿色防控体系的重要成员, 在保障国家粮食安全、生态安全和农产品质量安全, 筑牢国家生物安全屏障中具有重要作用。链霉菌以能够产生丰富的次级代谢产物而著称, 是天然产物农药的资源宝库, 也是重要的天然产物药物的工业生产菌。然而, 随着病虫草害抗药性增强, 新发、突发病虫草害增多等问题不断涌现, 以及天然产物研究面临新骨架、高活性化合物发现难度增大, 工业菌株产量提升困难等瓶颈, 链霉菌天然产物农药创制与应用正面临巨大挑战。合成生物学作为一门交叉学科, 突破了生物学研究的传统模式, 为天然产物药物研发提供了新的思路与策略。本文综述了近年来合成生物学在链霉菌研究领域的技术革新, 以及合成生物学在推动链霉菌天然产物资源发现、天然产物高效生物制造等方面的研究进展, 并对合成生物学助力链霉菌天然产物农药的创制与产业化进行了展望。     

Natural products: a strategic lead generation approach in crop protection discovery

With the anticipated population growth in the coming decades, the changing regulatory environment, and the continued emergence of resistance to commercial pesticides, there is a constant need to discover new lead chemistries with novel modes of action. We have established a portfolio of approaches to accelerate lead generation. One of these approaches capitalizes on the rich bioactivity of natural products (NPs), highlighted by the numerous examples of NP‐based crop protection compounds. Within Corteva Agriscience and the affiliated preceding companies, NPs have been a fruitful approach, for nearly three decades, to identifying and bringing to the market crop protection products inspired by or originating from NPs, . Included in these NP‐based crop protection products are the spinosyns family of insecticides, and those from more recent areas of NP‐based fungicidal chemistry, as highlighted in this perspective. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry     

On the formulation of disulfide herbicides based on aminophenoxazinones: polymeric nanoparticle formulation and cyclodextrin complexation to combat crop yield losses

Background

The resistance of weeds to herbicides is a significant issue in ensuring future food supply. Specific examples are Plantago lanceolata, Portulaca oleracea and Lolium rigidum, which mainly infect rice, wheat, barley and pastures, and cause high yield losses every year. In this regard, natural products and their mimics have provided new hope as a result of their different modes-of-action, activity at low concentrations and reduced pollution effects relative to conventional herbicides. However, the poor water solubility and physicochemical properties of these compounds limit their broad application. These problems can be addressed by formulation techniques, and encapsulation appears to be of great interest.

Results

Disulfide herbicides inspired by aminophenoxazinones have been formulated with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), γ-CD and polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). In silico studies were employed to identify which complexes would be generated and complex formation was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Solubility diagrams were generated to assess any improvement in water solubility, which was enhanced 2–13-fold. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectra confirmed the success of the formulation process for the nanoparticles. Formulated compounds were evaluated in an in vitro wheat coleoptile bioassay, with almost 100% elongation inhibition achieved using only water for the bioassay. Specific in vitro testing on weed phytotoxicity showed that the application of core/shell NPs is highly effective in the fight against P. lanceolata seed germination.

Conclusions

The formulation of disulfide herbicides with CD complexes and NPs led to an enhancement in water solubility and bioactivity. These systems can be applied in pre-emergent mode against P. lanceolata, using only water to prepare the sample, and they showed better activity than the positive controls. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Application and mechanisms of metal-based nanoparticles in the control of bacterial and fungal crop diseases

Nanotechnology is a young branch of the discipline generated by nanomaterials. Its development has greatly contributed to technological progress and product innovation in the field of agriculture. The antimicrobial properties of nanoparticles (NPs) can be used to develop nanopesticides for plant protection. Plant diseases caused by bacterial and fungal infestations are the main types of crop diseases. Once infected, they will seriously threaten crop growth, reduce yield and quality, and affect food safety, posing a health risk to humans. We reviewed the application of metal-based nanoparticles in inhibiting plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi, and discuss the antibacterial mechanisms of metal-based nanoparticles from two aspects: the direct interaction between nanoparticles and pathogens, and the indirect effects of inducing plant resilience to disease. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.     

Insecticidal activity of N,N-diethyl-, N,N-dipropyl-, N,n-di-isopropyl-, and n,n-di-isobutylalkanamides against mosquito larvae

N,N-Diethyl-, N,N-dipropyl-, N,N-di-isopropyl, and N,N-di-isobutylalkanamides in which the acyl moiety ranged from C₈ to C₂₁ were synthesised, and their larvicidal activity was determined against the first-instar larvae of the southern house mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say. The four homologous series of amides generally showed an increase in their larvicidal activity as the carbon number in the acyl moiety of the amides increased, until the activity reached a maximum. Subsequently, an increment of carbon number resulted in declining activity in the higher homologues, until the activity disappeared. N,N-Diethyltetradecanamide, N,N-dipropylundecanamide, N,N-di-isopropylundecanamide, and N,N-di-isobutlynonanamide or -dodecanamide were the most active compounds in their respective homologous series of amides; however, they were less active than their analogous N,N-dimethylalkanamides previously studied.     

Mercury, arsenic, and cadmium in fish, water, and sediment of American Falls Reservoir, Idaho, 1974.

Mercury and cadmium were found in fish, water, and sediment of American Falls Reservoir (AFR), Idaho. Mercury and cadmium levels in some fish exceeded human health standards set by the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the World Health Organization. Analyses performed on the flesh of rainbow trout showed mercury residues of up to 1.20 mg/kg, which were higher than residues previously reported in trout collected in 1970 and 1971 from AFR. Cadmium residue levels were as high as 0.80 mg/kg. Although arsenic was found in reservoir sediment at levels of 1.36-2.40 mg/kg, it was not detected in fish.     

Action of some herbicides on growth,respiration, plasmalemma integrity,and proton extrusion of Acer pseudoplatanus cells: II. Amides,diphenyl ethers,nitriles, phenols,triazines, and uracils

The activity of 15 herbicides from different families was assayed on nonphotosynthetic Acer pseudoplatanus cells, in batch suspension culture. They inhibited growth, stimulated the oxygen consumption by cells, and changed the pH evolution of the culture medium. Amides did not seem to disturb the membrane properties. Some diphenyl ethers and phenols directly modified the proton compartmentation of cells whereas some other diphenyl ethers, nitriles, triazines, and uracils altered permeabilities to potassium and leucine. Changes in membrane permeabilities to protons and medium constituents were discussed.     

长武旱塬不同麦玉轮作系统产量效应模拟研究

利用EPIC模型对不同麦玉轮作系统进行模拟,通过对其输出结果的分析,综合考虑产量、经济效益、干旱胁迫和氮肥生产率等因素,对不同麦玉轮作系统进行综合评价,从而比较不同麦玉轮作系统的优劣。结果表明:(1)在模拟研究期间,8种麦玉轮作系统的产量均呈波动性下降趋势,其平均值分别为4.61、4.40、4.16、4.48、4.28、4.29、4.714、.55 t/hm2。所有的麦玉轮作系统中,麦玉轮作系统"春玉米→冬小麦"的经济效益最好。(2)在模拟研究期间,麦玉轮作系统"春玉米→冬小麦→冬小麦"的冬小麦和春玉米所遭受的年均干旱胁迫日数最少(29.51d)。在干旱年份麦玉轮作系统中的冬小麦较春玉米更容易遭受干旱威胁。综合产量、经济效益、作物所遭受的干旱胁迫天数和麦玉轮作系统的氮肥生产率等因素,在长武地区适宜采用的麦玉轮作系统为春玉米→冬小麦。     

Establishment of, and preliminary impact studies on, the rust, Maravalia cryptostegiae, of the invasive alien weed, Cryptostegia grandiflora in Queensland, Australia

The rust fungus Maravalia cryptostegiae , from south-west Madagascar, was introduced into Australia in 1995 as a classical biological control agent against the highly invasive rubber-vine weed Cryptostegia grandiflora , a woody climber endemic to Madagascar. The rust was released at 69 sites between 1995 and 1997 and is now established throughout the plant's exotic range in Queensland, estimated at over 40 000 km². Dispersal was low in the first 3–4 months but was virtually linear thereafter, and the rust spread over 100 km within the first year; after 3 years it was recorded 550 km away from the nearest release site. Spraying both dry and aqueous inoculum of uredinioid teliospores from the ground using mist-blowers, as well as from the air by atomizing spore suspensions, resulted in rust-induced defoliation, producing an overall reduction in fecundity and biomass of the weed. In sites with low water tables, weed growth decreased markedly, with a reduction in plant volume from 9 m⁻³ to 1 m⁻³ over a 4-year period. Both rust- and drought-induced stress combined to cause up to 75% plant mortality at some sites, and at all monitored sites, seedling recruitment was virtually nil. Improved growth of indigenous grasses amongst rubber-vine thickets has increased fuel loads and created opportunities to use fire as a component of an integrated approach to the management of this economically and ecologically damaging weed.     

Modeling the Risk of Entry, Establishment, Spread, Containment, and Economic Impact of Tilletia indica, the Cause of Karnal Bunt of Wheat, Using an Australian Context

ABSTRACT Modeling techniques were developed to quantify the probability of Tilletia indica entering and establishing in Western Australia (WA), and to simulate spread, containment, and the economic impact of the pathogen. Entry of T. indica is most likely to occur through imports of bulk grain or fertilizer (0.023 +/- 0.017 entries per year and approximately 0.009 +/- 0.009 establishments per year). Entry may also occur through straw goods, new or second-hand agricultural machinery, and on personal effects of travelers who have visited regions with infected plants. The combined probability of entry and establishment of T. indica, for all pathways of entry, is about one entry every 25 years and one establishment every 67 years. Alternatively, sensitivity analysis does show that increases in quarantine funding can reduce the probability of entry to about one entry every 50 years and less than one establishment every 100 years. T. indica is spread efficiently through contaminated farm machinery, seed and soil, rain, air currents, and animals. Depending on the rate of spread of the pathogen and the amount of resources allocated for detection, the time until first detection could range from 4 to 11 years and the economic impact could range from 8 to 24% of the total value of wheat production in WA.     

Comparison of trifluralin,oryzalin, pronamide,propham, and colchicine treatments on microtubules

The mode of action of trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine), oryzalin (3,5-dinitro-N⁴,N⁴-dipropylsulfanilamide), pronamide(N-(1,1-dimethylpropynyl) 3,5-dichlorobenzamide), and propham (isopropyl carbanilate) on purified microtubules from pig brains and on the ultrastructure of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. “Mediterranean,” C. I. 5303) and corn (Zea mays L. “yellow dent, U. S. 13”) roots was compared with that known for colchicine. Colchicine disrupts the in vivo cortical and spindle microtubules of root cells. Like colchicine, the herbicides trifluralin, oryzalin, and pronamide caused the loss of both cortical and spindle microtubules of root cells. The rate of microtubule disappearance depended on the type of herbicide and length of exposure of roots to the herbicide. Unlike colchicine, cortical microtubules were present in propham-treated roots but they were disoriented within the cell.In vitro polymerization studies with pig brain microtubules (Sus scrofa) showed that the herbicides failed to inhibit the assembly of purified microtubular protein into microtubules and that radioactively labeled herbicides did not bind to the microtubular protein. Colchicine inhibited the polymerization of microtubular protein and readily bound to the microtubular subunits. These results indicate that the mode of action of the herbicides is not similar to that of colchicine and that the loss of microtubules from root tip cells treated with trifluralin, oryzalin, and pronamide may be caused by these herbicides interfering with synthesis of microtubular protein or metabolism of endoplasmic reticulum membranes involved in microtubule assembly. The mode of action of propham appears to be on the microtubular organizing centers rather than on microtubules per se.     

Response of black, cranberry, kidney, and white bean to linuron

Dry bean producers in Ontario, Canada, have few herbicide options available for annual broad-leaved weed management and there is little information on the tolerance of dry bean to linuron. The tolerance of black, cranberry, kidney, and white bean to the pre-emergence (PRE) application of linuron at the rates of 0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 g ai ha⁻¹ was evaluated in field studies conducted in 2005 and 2006 at Exeter and in 2006 at Ridgetown, Ontario. The four market classes differed in their response to linuron. Cranberry and kidney bean were more tolerant to the PRE application of linuron than black and white bean. Linuron applied PRE caused as much as 12% injury in cranberry and kidney bean, 47% injury in black bean, and 56% injury in white bean. Linuron applied PRE at 500–2500 g ai ha⁻¹ had no effect on the height of cranberry and kidney bean but decreased the height by 7, 8, and 15% in black bean and by 10, 13, and 23% in white bean at 1500, 2000, and 2500 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. Linuron applied PRE at the rates evaluated did not cause any adverse affect on the yield of cranberry, kidney, and white bean but black bean yield was reduced by 16% at 2500 g ai ha⁻¹. Based on these results, there is not an adequate margin of crop safety for the PRE application of linuron in black and white bean at rates >1000 g ai ha⁻¹. However, there is a potential for the use of linuron PRE for weed management in cranberry and kidney bean at the rates evaluated.     

Metabolism of the methoxychlor isostere,dianisylneopentane, in mouse,insects, and a model ecosystem

Dianisylneopentane or 1,1-bis(p-methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethylpropane was metabolized largely by O-demethylation to form mono- and diphenol derivatives. Only a small percentage was degraded by α-hydroxylation and rearrangement. In the model ecosystem, dianisylneopentane reacted very similarly to methoxychlor, accumulating in fish to about the same extent and yielding a slightly higher ratio of polar to nonpolar metabolites. The neopentyl group proved to be approximately as stable in biological systems as the isosterically equivalent trichloromethyl group.     

Metabolic aspects of the toxicology of diazinon. I. Hepatic metabolism in the sheep,cow, pig,guinea-pig,rat, turkey,chicken and duck

The phosphorothionate insecticide diazinon was incubated with liver microsomes from the sheep, cow, pig, guinea-pig, rat, turkey, chicken and duck. Metabolism by liver slices of most of these species was also examined. Hydroxydiazinon, isohydroxydiazinon, dehydrodiazinon, their oxons and diazoxon were identified and determined quantitatively or semi-quantitatively. An eighth metabolite was tentatively identified as the 6-aldehyde analogue of diazinon. Yields and rates of production of these metabolites varied greatly between species. Production of oxons was not generally correlated with susceptibility to diazinon poisoning, although it was lowest in the least susceptible animal, the sheep. The degradation of oxons by liver slices was too slow to explain the low toxicity of diazinon to the mammals. The relative importance of hepatic and extrahepatic metabolism in determining toxicity to vertebrates is discussed.     

Genotypic, phenotypic, biochemical, physiological and pathogenicity-based categorisation of Acanthamoeba strains

The genus Acanthamoeba includes more than 20 morphological species, but classification is problematical. Recently, the discovery of substantial interstrain differences in ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences has prompted questions about the relatedness of strains of the same species. In this study, therefore, we have investigated relationships between two isolates of A. polyphaga, CCAP 1501/3c and ATCC 30871, using morphological, biochemical, physiological, molecular and cytotoxicity assays. We observed that A. polyphaga ATCC 30871 exhibited up to six arms in endocyst while A. polyphaga CCAP 1501/3c exhibited a maximum of 5 arms thus indicating their position in group 2 and 3, respectively. Acanthamoeba polyphaga ATCC 30871 exhibited growth at 37 degrees C and growth on 1M mannitol plates while A. polyphaga CCAP 1501/3c did not. In addition, both isolates exhibited differences in isoenzyme banding patterns and rDNA restriction fragment polymorphisms. More importantly, A. polyphaga ATCC 30871 produced cytotoxicity on corneal epithelial cells while A. polyphaga CCAP 1501/3c had no effects, suggesting differences in pathogenicity. Thus, all the results provide evidence for significant differences between the strains and further provided the basis for reclassification of the isolates. Implications of these results in the clinical diagnosis of pathogenic Acanthamoeba are discussed.     

Organochlorine residues in fish, water, and sediment of American Falls Reservoir, Idaho, 1974.

Organochlorine residues of TDE, DDE, and PCBs as high as 1.96, 2.79, and 28.74 microgram/kg, respectively, have been found in sediments of American Falls Reservoir, Idaho. Residues of TDE, DDE, and dieldrin in the flesh of sport fish were as high as 52.3, 67.2, and 160.4 microgram/kg, respectively. Maximum organochlorine residue levels found in sucker taken in the commercial fishery were 1.1 mg PCBs/kg, 781.7 microgram TDE/kg, and 82.1 microgram DDE/kg.