26个油棕新种质苗期主要农艺性状评价

对26个油棕新质RYL14～RYL40幼苗期间的主要农艺性状株高、冠幅、叶片数、叶宽、叶长、叶厚度等进行13个月的连续观测,农艺性状表现评价结果表明：26个油棕新品种在幼苗期、苗圃生长期对我国热带北缘地区具有良好的生态适应性,与国外相比生长表现基本一致,且无明显病虫害。     

Portable acoustic device for detection of coconut palms infested by Rynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Acoustic methods have been developed and used to detect insects in concealed habitats. The larvae of red palm weevil, Rynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), a serious pest of the coconut palm, Cocos nucifera L. feed on the soft tissues inside the stem and bud region. Detection of infested coconut palms in the early stages by the conventional method of checking for external symptoms is time consuming, labour intensive and costly. This paper describes the development of a portable and efficient acoustic device and its potential in detection of infested palms in the field. The device comprises a sensor to mount on the palm and to acquire the sounds of red palm weevil larvae, an electronic unit that processes the acquired sounds and a set of headphones to receive the output sound by the listener. It is light weight, user-friendly and powered by batteries. The highest accuracy of identifying infested palms was obtained when the palm was checked at four positions; either side of palm base and bases of the two lowermost leaves. The infested palms were detected with over 97% accuracy, while the probability of not detecting uninfested palms was over 92%. A second check increased the rate of accuracy. Many difficulties encountered with conventional methods could be overcome by the use of this device.     

广东不同地区油棕叶片解剖结构观察与评价

为了评价早期引种到广东深圳、东莞、茂名、化州、湛江和雷州 6 个地区（居群）油棕大树的解剖学结构特 征，以其中 38 株油棕树的叶片为材料，对其解剖结构进行观察和比较分析。结果表明：油棕叶片上表皮细胞下方的中 脉与侧脉之间以及侧脉与侧脉之间均存在 2~3 层泡状细胞，叶片中脉维管束数量达 4~12 个且排列形式多样，其中较大 的维管束内含多个独立的韧皮部；油棕叶片解剖结构特征存在显著的株间差异和居群间差异（中脉维管束长度和细胞 结构疏松度除外）；引种到广东不同地区的油棕没有明显的地区性聚类差异，同源性高。研究结果旨在为我国热带北缘 地区油棕抗逆种质资源的进一步鉴定与挖掘利用提供参考。     

Behavioral mechanisms and morphological symptoms of zombie ants dying from fungal infection

Background

Parasites that manipulate host behavior can provide prominent examples of extended phenotypes: parasite genomes controlling host behavior. Here we focus on one of the most dramatic examples of behavioral manipulation, the death grip of ants infected by Ophiocordyceps fungi. We studied the interaction between O. unilateralis s.l. and its host ant Camponotus leonardi in a Thai rainforest, where infected ants descend from their canopy nests down to understory vegetation to bite into abaxial leaf veins before dying. Host mortality is concentrated in patches (graveyards) where ants die on sapling leaves ca. 25 cm above the soil surface where conditions for parasite development are optimal. Here we address whether the sequence of ant behaviors leading to the final death grip can also be interpreted as parasite adaptations and describe some of the morphological changes inside the heads of infected workers that mediate the expression of the death grip phenotype.

Results

We found that infected ants behave as zombies and display predictable stereotypical behaviors of random rather than directional walking, and of repeated convulsions that make them fall down and thus precludes returning to the canopy. Transitions from erratic wandering to death grips on a leaf vein were abrupt and synchronized around solar noon. We show that the mandibles of ants penetrate deeply into vein tissue and that this is accompanied by extensive atrophy of the mandibular muscles. This lock-jaw means the ant will remain attached to the leaf after death. We further present histological data to show that a high density of single celled stages of the parasite within the head capsule of dying ants are likely to be responsible for this muscular atrophy.

Conclusions

Extended phenotypes in ants induced by fungal infections are a complex example of behavioral manipulation requiring coordinated changes of host behavior and morphology. Future work should address the genetic basis of such extended phenotypes.     

Control of foliar diseases by the axillary application of systemic fungicides in Brazilian coconut palms

Endemic fungal foliar diseases, such as leaf blight – LB [Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griffon and Maubl] and leaf verrucosis, or “lixa-pequena” – LP [Camarotela torrendiela Batista (Bezerra) and Vitoria], reduce the productivity of the coconut palm in Brazil. Damage arises from extensive necrosis of the leaflets, resulting in early abscission of basal leaves and fruit. In Brazil, fungicide terrestrial sprayings has not been a commonly employed practice for the control of coconut foliar diseases because it is not cost-effective, once requiring high-volume of fungicide spraying. Coverage gaps and extensive drift of chemicals can occur due to technological limitations of terrestrial spraying of the tallest mature trees and is further complicated by the peculiar architecture of the palms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of systemic fungicides applied directly to the leaf axil of the coconut palm (variety Brazilian Green Dwarf of Jiqui) for the control of foliar diseases. During 2007–2010 and 2009–2012, two field plot experiments were conducted at distinct locations (farms) in the North Fluminense region. Two to 4-monthly applications of the fungicides to the leaf axil of cyproconazole (alone), cyproconazole plus azoxystrobin, cyproconazole plus trifloxystrobin, and flutriafol (alone) were efficacious in controlling coconut palm leaf diseases, resulting in a significant reduction of the LB severity and the number of necrotic LP lesions. When compared with the control treatment, significant increases in the total number of leaves per plant were observed for the most efficacious treatments after one year (2–4 leaves more) and after the second year (3–6 leaves more) after initiating the axillary applications of fungicides in both experiments. This trend continued even after the third year, when there was an average of 8 leaves more for the most efficacious treatment (27 leaves per plant) compared to control (19 leaves per plant) at the end of second experiment. The control of foliar diseases based on the results could ensure a significant increase in regional coconut production.     

观赏油棕在园林中的应用及其育苗栽培技术

油棕树形美，生长周期长，四季常绿，具有较高的观赏价值，是南亚热带地区理想的园林绿化树种。本文简要介绍观赏油棕在园林绿化中的应用及其育苗技术等。     

Delayed sleep phase cases and controls

Background

Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) is a condition in which patients have difficulty falling asleep before the early morning hours and commonly have trouble awakening before late morning or even early afternoon. Several studies have suggested that variations in habitual bedtime are 40–50% heritable.

Methods

We recruited a case series of 205 participants, along with 221 controls (DSPD-C) with normal sleep, roughly matched for age, gender, and ancestry. A representative sample of San Diego adults recruited some years before was already available to confirm the control group. Both DSPD and DSPD-C provided blood or saliva samples for DNA and completed extensive questionnaires about sleep habits, sleep history, family history, sleep quality, morningness-eveningness traits, depression, mania, and seasonality of symptoms. The DSPD group wore wrist actigraphs for a median of 13.2 days. The representative sample collected previously had undergone actigraphic recordings, from which 48 hours of data were generally available.

Results

The DSPD and DSPD-C samples showed almost no overlap on morningness-eveningness scores. DSPD cases went to bed and arose about 3 hours later than the DSPD-C and the representative sample. DSPD cases reported more difficulties with sleep, poorer sleep quality, and more depression, but there was no significant difference in a history of mania. DSPD cases reported more family history of late bedtimes, but female DSPD reported that their fathers' bedtimes were later than the fathers of male DSPD.

Conclusion

These results indicate a DSPD phenotype is familial and associated with unipolar depression.     

不同驯化移栽因素对油棕组培苗成活的影响

油棕（Elaeis guineensis Jacq.）为棕榈科多年生乔木,是热带重要油料作物之一。其果实生产的油脂可作为食用油脂、工业原料、生物能源等,用途广泛,市场需求逐年增加,而用于种植的土地有限,因此通过提高单位面积产油量成为油棕产业发展的迫切需求。以优良油棕母树叶片为外植体的组培苗既保存亲本优良的遗传性状,遗传性状又均一,可明显提高油棕单位面积产油量。因此油棕组培苗繁育是短期内满足产业技术需求的有效途径。移栽驯化是油棕组培苗繁育的关键环节之一,但该环节存在组培苗较难移栽成活、长势弱等问题,为选择适合驯化移栽的油棕组培苗的关键因素,建立系统高效的油棕组培苗驯化移栽技术,本研究对油棕组培苗开展了根系状况、基质、遮荫条件、湿度调控措施、不同月份的对比实验,观察其成活及生长情况,统计成活率和平均每株新增叶片量。结果表明,高6～8 cm,具3张叶,有侧根的油棕组培苗适宜出瓶移栽;椰糠+砂壤土表土（体积比2∶1）适宜用于移栽基质;驯化移栽时期宜选在高温季节（如儋州市3—11月）;移栽后宜置于具遮光度为75%的遮阳网双层遮荫;组培苗栽植于穴盘后宜置于可自动调控湿度的育苗箱中,移栽0～15 d...     

Is stemflow a vector for the transport of small metazoans from tree surfaces down to soil?

Background

Stemflow is an essential hydrologic process shaping the soil of forests by providing a concentrated input of rainwater and solutions. However, the transport of metazoans by stemflow has yet to be investigated. This 8-week study documented the organisms (<?2 mm) present in the stemflow of different tree species. Because the texture of the tree bark is a crucial determination of stemflow, trees with smooth bark (Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica) and rough bark (Quercus robur) were examined.

Results

Up to 1170 individuals per liter of stemflow were collected. For rotifers and nematodes, a highly positive correlation between abundance and stemflow yield was determined. Both taxa were predominant (rotifers: up to 70%, nematodes: up to 13.5%) in the stemflow of smooth-barked trees whereas in that of the oak trees collembolans were the most abundant organisms (77.3%). The mean number of organisms collected per liter of stemflow from the two species of smooth-barked trees was very similar. A higher number of nematode species was found in the stemflow of these trees than in the stemflow of rough-barked oak and all were typical colonizers of soil- and bark-associated habitats.

Conclusion

This pilot study showed for the first time that stemflow is a transport vector for numerous small metazoans. By connecting tree habitats (e.g., bark, moss, lichens or water-filled tree holes) with soil, stemflow may influence the composition of soil fauna by mediating intensive organismal dispersal.

     

Nutritional characteristics of the leaves of native plants growing in adverse soils of humid tropical lowlands

Acid sulfate, peat, sandy podzolic, and saline soils are widely distributed inthe lowlands of Thailand and Malaysia. The nutrient concentrations in theleaves of plants grown in these type of soils were studied with the aim ofdeveloping a nutritional strategy for adapting to such problem soils. In sagoand oil palms that were well-adapted to peat soil, the N, P, and Kconcentrations were the same in the mature leaves, while the Ca, Mg, Na,and Fe concentrations were higher in the mature leaves of the oil palm thanof the sago palm. Melastoma malabathricum and Melaleuca cajuputi plantsthat were well-adapted to low pH soils, peat, and acid sulfate soils were alsostudied. It was observed that a high amount of Al accumulated in the M.marabathricum leaves, while Al did not accumulate in M. cajuputi leaves.M. cajuputi plants accumulated large amounts of Na in their leaves or stemsregardless of the exchangeable Na concentration in the soil, while M.malabathricum that was growing in saline-affected soils excluded Na.Positive relationships between macronutrients were recognized between Pand N, between K and N, and between P and K. Al showed antagonisticrelationships with P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Na. Na also showedantagonistic relationships with P, K, Zn, Mn, Cu, and Al. Fe showed weakantagonistic relationships with Zn, Mn, Cu, and Al.     

Limited impacts of extensive human land use on dominance,specialization, and biotic homogenization in boreal plant communities

Background

Niche theory predicts that human disturbance should influence the assembly of communities, favouring functionally homogeneous communities dominated by few but widespread generalists. The decline and loss of specialists leaves communities with species that are functionally more similar. Evenness of species occupancy declines, such that species become either widespread of rare. These patterns have often been observed, but it is unclear if they are a general result of human disturbance or specific to communities that are rich in species, in complex, spatially heterogeneous environments where the problem has often been investigated. We therefore tested whether human disturbance impacts dominance/evenness of species occupancy in communities, specialism/generalism of species, and functional biotic homogenization in the spatially relatively homogeneous, species poor boreal forest region of Alberta, Canada. We investigated 371 boreal vascular plant communities varying 0 – 100% in proportion of human land use.

Results

Rank species occupancy curves revealed high species dominance regardless of disturbance: within any disturbance class a few species occupied nearly every site and most species were found in a low proportion of sites. However, species were more widespread and displayed more even occupancy in intermediately disturbed communities than among communities of either low or high disturbance. We defined specialists and generalists based on turnover in co-occupants and thereby assessed impacts of human disturbance on specialization of species and community homogenization. Generalists were not disproportionately found at higher disturbance sites, and did not occupy more sites. Communities with greater human disturbance were not more functionally homogeneous; they did not harbor communities with more generalists.

Conclusions

We unexpectedly did not observe strong linkages between species specialism/generalism and disturbance, nor between community homogenization and disturbance. These results contrast previous findings in more species rich, complex or spatially heterogeneous systems and ecological models. We suggest that broad occupancy-based intercommunity patterns are insensitive to human land use extent in boreal vascular plants, perhaps because of ubiquity of generalists, low species richness, and history of natural disturbance. The poor sensitivity of these metrics to disturbance presents challenges for monitoring and managing impacts to biodiversity in this region.     

Foraging dispersion of Ryukyu flying-foxes and relationships with fig abundance in East-Asian subtropical island forests

Background

Figs are widely distributed key resources to many tropical-subtropical animals, and flying-foxes are major consumers and seed dispersers of figs. Bat-fig interrelationships, however, may vary among species differing in fruiting traits, i.e., bat- versus bird-dispersed figs. We examined Ryukyu flying-fox foraging dispersion and the relationships with tree species composition and fig abundance in forests of Iriomote Island.

Results

Bat foraging dispersion showed no spatial patterns with respect to different areas of the island, and was not explained by heterogeneity, density, or basal area (BA) of total trees, nor by relative density or BA of fruiting trees or total fruiting figs among sites. Instead, bat densities were positively dependent on the relative density of total figs, and particularly the relative BA of bat-dispersed figs Ficus septica and F. variegata. Both species were dominant figs in forests, fruiting asynchronously with long crop seasons, and were used as predominant foods. Bats foraged mostly solitarily and the mean density was in a hump-shaped relationship with crop sizes of the dominant bat-figs. These two species and Ficus benguetensis are larger-sized bat-figs, all contained more seeds, higher dry-pulp mass and water mass, but not necessarily water content. By approximate estimation, higher proportions of seeds of these bat-figs would have been removed from fruits through the bat consumption, than that of small-sized bird-figs like F. virgata, F. superba, and F. microcarpa.

Conclusions

The foraging dispersion of Ryukyu flying-foxes in forests depends on the availability of the most abundant bat-figs that serve as predominant foods. Intermediate levels of crop sizes of theses figs appear most fit with their solitary foraging. Our results suggest that as density and BA coverage of these dominant bat-figs are below a certain level, their effectiveness to attract bats may dwindle and so would their chance of dispersal by bats.

     

Fitness benefits of trypsin proteinase inhibitor expression in Nicotiana attenuata are greater than their costs when plants are attacked.

Background

The commonly invoked cost-benefit paradigm, central to most of functional biology, explains why one phenotype cannot be optimally fit in all environments; yet it is rarely tested. Trypsin proteinase inhibitors (TPIs) expression in Nicotiana attenuata is known to decrease plant fitness when plants compete with unattacked conspecifics that do not produce TPIs and also to decrease the performance of attacking herbivores.

Results

In order to determine whether the putative benefits of TPI production outweigh its cost, we transformed N. attenuata to silence endogenous TPI production or restore it in a natural mutant that was unable to produce TPIs. We compared the lifetime seed production of N. attenuata genotypes of the same genetic background with low or no TPI to that of genotypes with high TPI levels on which M. sexta larvae were allowed to feed freely. Unattacked low TPI-producing genotypes produced more seed capsules than did plants with high TPI levels. Caterpillar attack reduced seed capsule production in all genotypes and reversed the pattern of seed capsule production among genotypes. M. sexta larvae attacking genotypes with high TPI activity consumed more TPI, less protein, and move later to the young leaves. Larval masses were negatively correlated (R² = 0.56) with seed capsule production per plant.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that the fitness benefits of TPI production outweigh their costs in greenhouse conditions, when plants are attacked and that despite the ongoing evolutionary interactions between plant and herbivore, TPI-mediated decreases in M. sexta performance translates into a fitness benefit for the plant.     

巴西橡胶树自根幼态无性系耐低温分析

为比较橡胶树新型种植材料——自根幼态无性系与同源老态芽接无性系的耐低温能力,本研究将1蓬叶稳定的热研7-33-97老态芽接苗和自根幼态无性系苗5 ℃低温处理后,测定叶片的相对电导率、可溶性糖含量和游离脯氨酸含量等生理指标,并进行叶片受害调查。结果显示,自根幼态无性系叶片相对电导率低于老态芽接苗,可溶性糖含量和游离脯氨酸含量均高于老态芽接苗。此外,对5 ℃处理4 d后叶片受害情况调查发现,自根幼态无性系大部分叶片未受害,而老态芽接苗叶片几乎全部干枯或脱落。因此,室内低温模拟实验表明,自根幼态无性系在耐低温能力方面较老态芽接无性系更强,这为自根幼态无性系的生产应用提供了更广阔的前景。     

3种熏蒸剂对椰心叶甲的熏蒸效果及寄主切叶的影响

分别利用磷化钙、3%高效氯氰菊酯烟雾剂(烟魁)和溴甲烷3种熏蒸剂熏蒸处理椰心叶甲[Brontispalongissima(Gestro)]各虫态及散尾葵切叶,观察椰心叶甲各虫态的死亡情况和对散尾葵叶片的影响.结果表明:烟魁使用时灼伤散尾葵切叶,不适合处理散尾葵切叶.其他2种熏蒸剂对切叶没有明显影响,影响熏蒸剂对椰心叶甲各虫态致死的主要因素是熏蒸剂的浓度和熏蒸时间.磷化钙处理而言,其分解为磷化氢气体需要时间,需要熏蒸24 h,使用0.3 mg/m~3即可达到完全杀死椰心叶甲的目的;而对于溴甲烷处理而言,用量相对较大,但熏蒸时间较短,20g/m~3的浓度2 h才可以满足生产上对椰心叶甲除害的需要.研究结果对处理棕榈植物鲜切叶或苗木有重要的借鉴意义.     

Way-marking behaviour: an aid to spatial navigation in the wood mouse (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apodemus sylvaticus</Emphasis>)

Background  

During their movements in the wild, wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) distribute small objects, such as leaves or twigs, which are often visually conspicuous. Our experiments demonstrate that these marks serve as points of reference during exploration. Way-marking, as we call it, may diminish the likelihood of losing an "interesting" location, perhaps following disturbance by, for example, a predator or conspecific. Way-marks, being readily portable, may be a less confusing method of marking ephemeral sites than scent marks. They may also be a safer option for local navigation insofar as scent marks can easily be detected by a predator.     

Jemseg: A new,early high-yielding potato variety with high resistance to virus Y and immune to virus X

Jemseg is an early sizing variety of early maturity. It has outyielded the variety Warba for total and marketable yield when dug at 80 days from planting. It has moderate resistance to common scab, is immune to virus X and has high resistance to virus Y, plus resistance to virus S. Jemseg was originated at Fredericton, New Brunswick, and is a product of the potato breeding program of Agriculture Canada. The variety has been under test in New Brunswick for 10 years as seedling F67072. It has also been tested extensively in the Maritime Provinces and throughout Canada through the facilities of regional and national evaluation trials. Jemseg was selected from a progeny of a cross between the variety Sable and a Fredericton seedling F55069. Sable is an early variety developed at Fredericton. F55069 is a Fredericton seedling bred for X immunity and scab resistance. Jemseg was first grown in the field in 1967. The pedigree follows:      

Mechanisms for coping with submergence and waterlogging in rice

Background

Oligopeptide transporters (OPTs) play important roles in the mobilization of organic nitrogenous compounds and usually associate with tissues that show signs of rapid protein hydrolysis, such as germinating seeds and senescing leaves. This study is to investigate rice OPT genes.

Results

A total of sixteen OsOPT genes (Os for Oryza sative L.) were identified in the rice genome, which were then classified into six sections that belong to two subfamilies (the PT and YSL subfamily). The major mechanisms for evolutionary expansion of the sixteen genes during the rice genome evolution include segmental and tandem duplication. Calculation of the duplication event dates indicated that the sixteen genes originated from nine original OsOPT genes, and the duplication events could be classified into three evolutionary stages. The first evolutionary stage occurred approximately 50 million years ago (Mya) and involved the evolution of four new genes. The second evolutionary stage was approximately 20 Mya and was marked by the appearance of two new genes, and the third evolutionary stage was approximately 9 Mya when two new genes evolved. Mining of the expression database and RT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of most duplicated OsOPT genes showed high tissue specificities. Diverse expression patterns for the sixteen genes were evaluated using both semi-quantitative RT-PCR and the MPSS data. Expression levels of some OsOPT genes were regulated by abiotic and biotic stresses suggesting the potential involvement of these gene products in rice stress adaptation. Five OsOPT gene mutants showed abnormal development and growth, the primary analysis of five OsOPT gene mutants suggested that they may be necessary for rice development.

Conclusions

These results suggested that rice-specific OsOPT genes might be potentially useful in improving rice.