Variation of chrysanthemum virus B

In an attempt to unravel the complexity of chrysanthemum virus B eight isolates were grafted onto the chrysanthemum indicator cultivars Fanfare, Good News, Mistletoe, and Pink Marble. Six symptomatologically different entities could be distinguished. However, withantisera prepared against two of the isolates, no serological differences were detected. It is concluded that chrysanthemum virus B consists of many strains and that the number of strains that can be distinguished depends on the number of indicator cultivars used. The Good News, Yellow Doty, Nightingale, Improved Bronze Daisy and September Morn, mosaic viruses described by Brierley and Smith (1958) as well as the vein mottle, dwarf mottle and necrotic mottle viruses named by Hollings and Stone (1967) should be considered as strains of chrysanthemum virus B.Samenvatting In een poging de complexiteit van het chrysantevirus B te ontrafelen werden acht isolaten geënt op de chrysante-indicatorrassen Fanfare, Good News, Mistletoe en Pink Marble. Zes symptomatologisch verschillende eenheden konden worden onderscheiden (Tabel 1; Fig. 1,2 en 3), die echter serologisch niet verschilden. De conclusie wordt getrokken dat van het virus vele stammen voorkomen en dat het anntal te onderscheiden stammen afhangt van het aantal indicatorrassen dat men gebruikt. Ook de vijf mozaïekvirussen van Brierley en Smith (1958) en de leden van het leaf mottling complex van Hollings en Stone (1967) dienen als stammen van het chrysantevirus B te worden beschouwd.Stationed at the Research Station for Floriculture, Aalsmeer.     

Conjugation of δ-endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis with abamectin of Streptomyces avermitilis as a new type of biocide, GCSC-BtA, for control of agricultural insect pests

Conjugation of -endotoxin from Bacillus thuringiensis with abamectin, a toxin of Streptomyces avermitilis, was carried out to form a new type of biocide, GCSC-BtA based on Germany-China Scientific Cooperation research, for the control of agricultural insect pests. The strategy for biochemical linkage was designed by conjugating an amino group in B.t. protoxin with a carboxyl group in carboxylated abamectin under the treatment of conjugator EDC [1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide Hydrochloride)]. The formation of B.t. protoxin was processed by solubilizing B.t. crystal in 25mM dithiothreitol (DTT) at 37°C for 2h. The carboxylated abamectin was formed by carboxylating the NaH-activated abamectin with 10mg/ml butyric anhydride at 111°C in a water-circumfluent condensation device for 2h. The conjugating reaction, consisting of 5mg/ml B.t. protoxin, 10mg/ml carboxylated abamectin and 19.17mg/ml EDC, was successfully conducted at room temperature for 24h. Significant differences were found between pure abamectin, carboxylated abamectin and the conjugated BtA by means of UV-photo absorptions recorded at wavelengths 354, 438, 518, 600nm (P<0.01). LT₅₀ of the conjugated GCSC-BtA to the 3^rd instar larvae of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lep., Plutellidae) was 35.27 g a.i./ml, about 62% and 76% of that caused by the B.t. protoxin and the caxboxylated abamectin, respectively. The conjugated GCSC-BtA caused 87.14% mortalities in larvae of P. xylostella, 93.75% in adult Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hom., Aphididae) and 89.33% in adult Phyllotreta vittata Fabricius (Col., Chrysomelidae) as compared to 48.33% by the B.t. crystal only in P. xylostella. The symptoms caused by conjugated GCSC-BtA in the 3^rd instar of P. xylostella were black color in the head part and white-yellow in the abdomen of dead larvae, which differed from the black color or the white-yellow all along the body caused by either the B.t. crystal or the abamectin, respectively. It was concluded that the conjugated GCSC-BtA biocide had a broader host spectrum and a faster killing speed than either the B.t. crystal or abamectin alone for the control of agricultural pests.     

Gamma radiation sensitivity of larvae and adults of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum Herbst

In this study, the susceptibility of larvae and adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) to gamma radiation was investigated in the laboratory in Turkey. Gamma radiation was applied at 6 dose levels between 20 and 200Gy to 13–15day-old adults and at 5 dose levels between 20 and 180Gy to 18–20day-old larvae of T. castaneum. All experiments were performed in growth chambers maintained at 27±1°C and 70±5% r.h. The larvae proved to be the more susceptible stage, survival to the adult stage being prevented by exposure of the eggs to 100Gy; the adult stage was less susceptible. LD₅₀ and LD₉₉ values were determined as 19,75 and 42,97Gy for larvae and 33,21 and 64,50Gy for adult stage, respectively. It was concluded that 100Gy is the effective dose for both larval and adult stages.     

Analysis of molecular diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crinipellis perniciosa</Emphasis> with AFLP markers

Crinipellis perniciosa causes a serious disease of cacao known as witches broom (WB). Heritable resistance to witches broom has been used in cacao improvement programs. SCA6 and SCA12 are highly resistant and are the most commonly used parents in the breeding schemes. However, SCA hybrids are not resistant to witches broom in all production areas. Presumably, different populations of C. perniciosa cause these variable responses. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were used to assess variation and population structure in this pathogen. We examined 40 isolates of C. perniciosa and one isolate of Melanotus subcuneiformis. Nine of 64 primer pairs produced consistent and informative DNA amplification, and were used to screen all isolates. Fifteen haplotypes (AFLP fingerprints) were detected with 186 polymorphic markers. Cluster analysis grouped isolates of the C biotype (pathogenic on cacao) from Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Trinidad together in a major cluster that was distinct from isolates of the S biotype (pathogenic on solanaceous hosts) and M. subcuneiformis. Isolates of the C biotype were divided further into well supported, country-specific groups. Segregation of AFLP alleles was not observed among basidiospore isolates from the same basidiome, broom, tree or field, supporting previous reports that the fungus did not outcross. The results corroborated prior conclusions that C. perniciosa was probably introduced into the Bahia state of Brazil from the Amazon basin. Representative isolates from the genetically distinct groups that were revealed will be used to examine pathogenic specialization in C. perniciosa and differential responses that have been reported in SCA6-derived germplasm.     

Morphological studies on attachment of spores of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Magnaporthe grisea</Emphasis> to the leaf surface of rice

Rice leaves were inoculated with spores of Magnaporthe grisea, and the number of fluorescence-labeled spores that attached to the leaf surface were counted before and after leaves were dipped and then stirred in water. Just 5% of the spores were retained on the leaf surface 1h after inoculation; the percentage retained then increased rapidly between 1.25 and 1.50h, and most had attached by 2h. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that most conidia were lying on a few wart-like protuberances 2–4µm high. Spores became attached when the germ tubes were long enough to reach the leaf surface, at least 3µm, by mucilaginous substances at the tip. Retained spores swayed when water was added under the cover glass from one side, indicating that the attachment was confined to the tips of germ tubes. Spores are attached to the rough leaf surface by mucilaginous substances – not at the tip of spore as reported on smooth artificial substrates but at the tip of the germ tubes.     

Changes in susceptibility of bean leaves (Phaseolus vulgaris) to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Botrytis cinerea by pre-inoculative ozone exposures

The effects of ozone on the susceptibility of leaves ofPhaseolus vulgaris toSclerotinia sclerotiorum andBotrytis cinerea have been investigated. Seedlings of one ozone-sensitive (Pros) and five relatively ozone-insensitive cultivars (Gamin, Precores, Groffy, Narda, Berna) were exposed to different ozone concentrations (0, 120, 180 and 270 g m^–3) for 8 h. One day after the exposures, primary leaves were detached and immediately inoculated with spores of either pathogen suspended in water or in a 62.5 mM KH₂PO₄ (Pi) solution. Visible ozone injury differed between the cultivars and increased with increasing ozone concentration. On the leaves of non-exposed plants, spores of the pathogens suspended in water caused very few lesions, whereas fungal pathogenicity was stimulated by addition of Pi to the inoculum. Ozone-injured leaves of all cultivars exhibited lesions after inoculation of the leaves with the pathogens suspended in water, and the number of lesions was positively correlated with the level of ozone injury for either pathogen and cultivar. The increase in susceptibility of bean leaves in response to increasing ozone concentrations was greater forB. cinerea than forS. sclerotiorum when spores were suspended in water, but was similar when the spores were suspended in Pi.In general, the number of lesions following inoculation with spores in Pi increased with increasing ozone concentration. However, the number of lesions in the ozone-insensitive Groffy was reduced by an exposure to 120 g m^–3 but increased with higher concentrations. This pattern of susceptibility response to the pathogens was not found in the other ozone-insensitive cultivars and, thus, did not appear to be related to the inherent ozone-insensitivity in bean.     

Some new races ofPuccinia striiformis

In the Netherlands in 1961 three new field races were found ofPuccinia striiformis, the causal fungus of yellow rust on wheat. Two of these, viz. the Falco race and the Opal race, together with the already known Etoile de Choisy race, constitute the so-called Nord-group of races, which is now clearly distinguished from the so-called Rubis-group. Most dangerous and interesting is the third of the new races. This so-called Cleo race proved to be the first to break both resistance to the Nord-group and resistance to the Rubis-group. On wheat seedlings in the greenhouse all three new races behaved like green-house race W(ageningen) 8=B(raunschweig) 55.Samenvatting Er zijn van de schimmelPuccinia striiformis Westend., de veroorzaker van de gele roest van tarwe, in Nederland in 1961 drie nieuwe veldfysio's gevonden. Dit zijn het Falco-fysio, het Opal-fysio en het Cleo-fysio. De eerste twee bleken met het reeds bekende Etoile de Choisy-fysio een groep te vormen, de z.g. Nord-groep, die zich duidelijk onderscheidt van de reeds beter bekende Rubis-groep van fysio's. Eerstgenoemde groep kenmerkt zich o.a. door de aantasting van het tarweras Nord, de laatstgenoemde door de aantasting van Rubis (zie tabel 1). Het belangrijkst en het gevaarlijkst is het Cleo-fysio. Dit bleek voor zover bekend het eerste en enige fysio te zijn dat zowel de resistentie tegen de Rubis-groep als die tegen de Nord-groep doorbreekt. Het heeft zodoende een zeer breed aantastingsspectrum. Van de tarwerassen die voorkomen in de 39ste Nederlandse Rassenlijst voor Landbouwgewassen (1964) zijn de volgende negen rassen vatbaar voor het Cleo-fysio met een aantastingsgraad van 6 tot 9 (Internationale Schaal): Cleo, Cappelle Desprez, Heine's VII, Hector, Stella, Sambo, Mado, Wodan en Jufy I. Bovendien bleek het Cleo-fysio in vergelijking met de andere veldfysio's goed te overwinteren en in 1964 reeds op vele plaatsen in Nederland aanwezig te zijn. Het Cleo-fysio maakt het des te noodzakelijker bij de selectie op resistentie tegen gele roest te werken op een brede genetische basis. Bij toetsing op tarwekiemplanten in de kas gedroegen de drie nieuwe fysio's zich alle als het kasfysio W(ageningen) 8 =B(raunschweig) 55 (zie tabel 2).     

Rice yellow mottle,a mechanically transmissible virus disease of rice in Kenya

In Kenya around Lake Victoria rice is affected by a hitherto undescribed virus for which the name Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) is proposed. The virus was easily transmitted mechanically to rice and toOryza barthii andOryza punctata, but not toOryza eichingeri, barley, bulrush millet, durum wheat, finger millet, maize, oats, rye, sorghum, wheat, sugarcane, 20 other monocotyledonous and 9 dicotyledonous plant species.The disease is characterised by stunting and reduced tillering of the rice plant, crinkling, mottling and yellowish streaking of the leaves, malformation and partial emergence of the panicles, and sterility. In severe cases the plant may die. RYMV is stable and highly infective.The vector is the beetleSesselia pusilla Gerstaeker (fam. Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae). The beetle has been identified by Mr John A. Wilcox, New York State Museum and Science Service, New York.S. pusilla transmitted the virus for at least five successive days after feeding on an infective plant.Purified virus preparations consisted of polyhedral particles about 32 m in diameter. The sedimentation coefficient was 116S.Samenvatting In Kenya wordt rijst, voornamelijk Sindano, verbouwd op familiebedrijfjes aan de kust van de Indische Oceaan en langs het Victoria Meer, en door pachters van het meer naar het binnenland gelegen Mwea Irrigation Settlement. In de omgeving van Kisumu (Nyanza Province), waar rijst geteeld wordt volgens slechte cultuurmethoden, wordt sinds 1966 een tot dusver onbekende ziekte, hier rice yellow mottle genoemd, waargenomen.In het veld vallen de zieke planten onmiddellijk op door de gelige verkleuring van de bladeren. De jongste bladeren zijn gevlekt of geel-groen gestreept (Fig. 1). De uitstoeling is gering en de plant gedrongen (Fig. 2). De zaadopbrengst wordt sterk verlaagd door het optreden van steriliteit.Ongeveer 7 dagen na sap-inoculatie van Sindano-zaailingen verschijnen de eerste symptomen. Na inoculatie in een jong stadium van de plant krullen de eerstgevormde bladeren spiraalvormig (Fig. 3). Later worden de bladeren geel en necrotisch. Jong geïnfecteerde planten kunnen zelfs afsterven. De pluimen komen onvoldoende uit de bladschede, zijn misvormd en dragen veelal kleine en misvormde bloembakjes, die meestal loos zijn (Fig. 4). Sindano rijst, 3 weken voor het in pluim schieten geïnoculeerd, liet een zeer sterke opbrengstvermindering zien.In sap, verkregen van wortels van zieke rijstplanten, in de guttatievloeistof en in irrigatiewater van ernstig zieke rijstvelden kon het virus gemakkelijk worden aangetoond. Overdracht van RYMV door zaad en grond werd niet waargenomen.RYMV was nog infectieus na een verhitting gedurende 10 min bij 80°C. De verdunningsgrens hing af van het tijdstip waarop het bladmateriaal van de zieke planten getoetst werd en liep uiteen van 10^–10 (2–3 weken na inoculatie) tot 10^–6 (4–5 weken na inoculatie). Sap bewaard bij kamertemperatuur was nog infectieus na 33 dagen, maar had deze eigenschap verloren na 51 dagen. Bewaard in een koelkast bleef het sap zeker 71 dagen infectieus.A1 de getoetste rijstrassen werden na sap-inoculatie door het virus geïnfecteerd, evenalsOryza barthii enOryza punctata (Fig. 5). Niet vatbaar waren:Oryza eichingeri, baardtarwe, eleusine gierst, gerst (Proctor), haver (M.F.C. 15/67 en Lampton), mais (Hybrid 611B, Hybrid 612 en Hybrid 613B), parelgierst, rogge, sorghum (H726 en H6060), suikerriet (NCo 310 en Q 45), tarwe (Kenya Kudu en Wisconsin), evenals 20 andere monocotyle en 9 dicotyle plantesoorten, waaronder de doorgaans bij plantevirusonderzoek gebruikte toetsplanten.Het kevertjeSesselia pusilla Gerstaecker (fam. Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae; zie Fig. 6) bracht het virus over. Een enkel insekt was in staat het virus gedurende tenminste 5 dagen over te brengen.RYMV was gemakkelijk te zuiveren. Hierbij werd uitgegaan van 16,5–20 g jonge duidelijk zieke bladschijven van jonge 2–3 weken tevoren geïnoculeerde rijstplanten (Sindano) door uitschudden met chloroform en uitzouten met ammoniumsulfaat, iets gewijzigd naar Proll en Schmidt (1964). De elektronenmicroscopische beelden van de gezuiverde virussuspensie laten één type veelkantige deeltjes zien met een diameter van ongeveer 32 m (Fig. 7). De S₂₀-waarde is 116S (Fig. 8 en 9).Ter bestrijding van de ziekte moet op korte termijn allereerst de cultuurmethode van de rijst op de familiebedrijfjes verbeterd worden. Het gehele jaar in verschillende groeistadia voorkomen van rijst op een klein gebied en veelal zieke opslag op juist geoogste velden, dragen belangrijk bij tot de verspreiding van de ziekte. Het gebruik van kortgroeiende rijst-varieteiten wordt aanbevolen om overlapping van de groeiseizoenen te voorkomen.This paper is published with permission of the Chief of Technical Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya.     

Infection of Tomicus piniperda (Col., Scolytidae) with Canningia tomici sp. n. (Microsporidia, Unikaryonidae)

Canningia tomici sp. n. (Microsporidia, Unikaryonidae) infects the midgut epithelium, the gut muscules, Malpighian tubules, connective tissues, adipose tissues and the gonads of the pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda (L.) (Coleoptera, Scolytidae). The infection is present in populations of Tomicus piniperda in Europe and in the United States. Uninucleate oval single spores occur in two sizes: 2.8±0.4× 1.4±0.4m and 3.8±0.3×2.0±0.2m. The polar filament of this microsporidium is fixed subapically in a flat anchoring disc. The thick posterior lamellae of the binary polaroplast are asymmetric due to the lateral fixation of the polar filament.     

Development of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier), (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) on natural and synthetic diets

The development of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) was investigated on a newly developed semiartificial diet as compared with two natural diets namely sugarcane stem and banana fruit. The weevil was successfully maintained on these diets and duration of the life cycle for males and females, respectively were 164.97 and 194.61 days on the semiartificial diet, 192.5 and 186.5 days on banana, and 172.00 and 170.00 days on sugarcane. The average egg production per female was shown to be significantly higher on the semiartificial diet, being 184.00±18.68 eggs compared with an average of 125.00±11.97 and 133.00±15.21 eggs on banana and sugarcane, respectively. The fertility ranged between 94–100% in those eggs deposited by females previously reared on the tested diets. The developed semiartificial diet was shown to be suitable for maintaining laboratory colonies of the red palm weevil, and it can substitute natural diets.     

Effects of soil solarization on nematodes in Croatia

For the first time soil solarization was investigated in Croatia both in the field and in the greenhouse in 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994. For two months (July and August), the soil was mulched with transparent polyethylene (PE) sheets of 0.015 or 0.050mm thickness. Soil temperatures at depths of 5, 10 and 20cm were recorded daily. In order to assess nematode population densities, soil samples were analysed before mulching and at the end of the mulching treatment. The results of these experiments showed that soil solarization drastically reduced the population of plant-parasitic nematodes (Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Paratylenchus, Tylenchus, Tylenchorhynchus spp.) by about 97–100% at a depth of 10cm and 92–97% at a depth of 20cm in the field, while in the greenhouse, the population of plant-parasitic nematodes was reduced by about 89–100% at a depth of 10cm and 98–100% at a depth of 20cm.In the same experiments, the population of saprophytic nematodes in the field was reduced by about 86–90% at a depth of 10cm and 72–89% at a depth of 20cm. In the greenhouse, the population of saprophytic nematodes was reduced by about 87–97% at a depth of 10cm and 87–93% at a depth of 20cm. This data shows that soil solarization was less effective in the control of saprophytic nematodes, which is considered to be an advantage.     

Biological characteristics and life tables of Neoseiulus umbraticusChant (Acari, Phytoseiidae) at three constant temperatures

The development time, survival and fecundity of the generalist predatory mite, Neoseiulus umbraticusChant, were determined at 20, 25, and 30°C and 65±10% RH. N. umbraticus females completed development in 9.7, 8.0 and 5.9 days, respectively, using a diet of all life stages of Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval. Total developmental times of males were relatively shorter at 25 and 30°C than at 20°C. In general, preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods of N. umbraticus shortened as temperature increased. The longest survival rate of N. umbraticus of 80.5 days occurred at 20°C, followed by 67.0 and 57.6 days at 25 and 30°C, respectively. Mated females laid an average 0.9, 1.3 and 1.4 eggs per female per day and 33.1, 44.0 and 43.6 eggs over their entire lives at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The sex ratios of this species were 0.57, 0.57 and 0.54 female (female+male) at 20, 25 and 30°C, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) became greater with rising temperatures from 0.123 at 20°C to 0.180 at 30°C. The net reproduction rate (R_o) was highest at 25°C (25.0 females/female) and lowest at 20°C (18.8 females/female), while T_o decreased with increasing temperatures, from 23.8 days at 20°C to 17.5 days at 30°C.     

Suppressive effect of potassium silicate on powdery mildew of strawberry in hydroponics

From 1996 to 1997, potassium silicate (SiO₂) was tested at 0, 25, 50, and 100mgl^–1 in hydroponics to control powdery mildew. Other elements were added in the usual amounts, and the strawberries were cultivated hydroponically in a greenhouse for 4 months (from October to January). The powdery mildew spread in the control plot, but little mildew developed in the plot with 25mgl^–1 silicate, and none in plots with more than 50mgl^–1 silicate. The suppressive effect lasted for about 4 months on fruits and even longer on leaves. On analysis of mineral content in the leaves, only the silicate content differed markedly between the control and treated plants. Nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, and calcium contents did not differ greatly. The maximum silicate content was about 24 times that of the control, and disease severity decreased significantly when the content was more than 1.5% in the leaves. The hardness of the strawberry leaves, measured by a creep meter, was increased by the silicate treatment.     

The translocation of potato virus S,isolate “Eersteling”, in potato plants

Samenvatting Uit enige infectieproeven met aardappel-S-virus, isolatie Eersteling, blijkt dat planten van het ras Bintje onder kasomstandigheden zeer moeilijk met deze stam zijn te besmetten. Planten van het ras Mentor zijn vatbaarder, maar kunnen slechts in een jong stadium (twee tot vier weken na het poten) worden besmet.     

Emergence and Partial Characterization of Rice Stripe Necrosis Virus and its Fungus Vector in South America

A new disease of rice, known as entorchamiento (crinkling), was first noticed in the Department of Meta, Colombia, in 1991. Symptoms include seedling death, foliar striping and severe plant malformation. Tissue extracts and purified preparations from diseased rice plants, contained virus-like particles ca. 20nm in diameter, with a bimodal length of 260 and 360nm. Particle aggregates were also observed in the cytoplasm of infected rice leaf cells. Electrophoretic analyses of purified preparations and dsRNA extracts, revealed a single protein species of M 22,500, and four dsRNA bands ca. 6300, 4600, 2700 and 1800bp in size. Cystosori, characteristic of plasmodiophorid fungal vectors of plant viruses, were consistently observed in the roots of diseased rice plants. PCR and sequence analyses of amplified fungal DNA products from infected rice roots, revealed that the putative fungus vector was Polymyxa graminis. A Western blot of tissue extracts obtained from crinkled rice plants from Colombia, using antiserum against a West African isolate of rice stripe necrosis furovirus (RSNV), resulted in the detection of a protein band of approximately M 22,000. The RSNV antiserum recognized the Colombian virus isolate in serologically specific electron microscopy tests. These results confirm the presence of RSNV in the Americas.     

Effects of Potato-cyst Nematodes (Globodera pallida) and Soil pH on Root Growth, Nutrient Uptake and Crop Growth of Potato

Potato-cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida) cause severe yield losses in potato. Plants infected with potato-cyst nematodes generally have reduced concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the foliage. This study investigated whether reduced growth of nematode-infected potato is caused by nutrient limitation.Experiments in the field and in containers showed that phosphorus concentration correlated best with total crop biomass at early stages of growth. The role of phosphorus in nematode damage was further investigated in the field and in the Wageningen Rhizolab. The experimental field was infested with potato-cyst nematodes and two levels of nematode density were established by fumigation with a nematicide. Prior applications of calcium carbonate resulted in pHKCl levels of 4.8 and 6.1. Two levels of phosphorus fertiliser were applied: either 0 or 225kgPha–1. In the Wageningen Rhizolab, soil of both pH levels from the field was used after treatment with 1MRad gamma irradiation to kill the nematodes. Subsequently, half of the soil was inoculated with cysts to give a nematode density of 30 viable juveniles per gram of soil.In the field, nine weeks after planting, the total crop biomass ranged from 107gm–2 for the treatment with nematodes at pHKCl 6.1 without phosphorus fertiliser to 289gm–2 for the fumigated treatment at pHKCl 4.8 with phosphorus fertiliser. The differences in total biomass for the various treatments were explained by differences in foliar phosphorus concentration. Nematodes induced or aggravated P deficiency and reduced total biomass. This was not the only damage mechanism as at high, non-limiting levels of foliar phosphorus concentration, nematodes still reduced total biomass.In the Wageningen Rhizolab, directly after planting, the number of roots visible against minirhizotrons was reduced by nematodes. However, the increase of root number in the nematode treatment continued longer than in the control, until root number was higher than that of the control. The compensary root growth of the nematode treatment was restricted to the top 30cm and nematodes reduced rooting depth.High soil pH reduced growth, mainly by reducing the availability of phosphate. Both nematodes and high soil pH reduced nutrient uptake per unit root length. Our results lead us to suggest an interaction between nematodes and soil pH, with nematode damage being higher at pHKCl 6.1 than at pHKCl 4.8.     

Race-specific aspects of polygenic resistance of barley to leaf rust,Puccinia hordei

Partial resistance of barley to leaf rust,Puccinia hordei, is characterized by a reduced rate of epidemic development in spite of a susceptible infection type. Barley cultivars vary greatly for partial resistance and its components. In a test for interaction between host cultivars and pathogen isolates most variation was of a horizontal nature. However, in the combination between Julia and the rust isolate 18, a differential interaction (vertical effect) occured; Julia had lost a small part of its partial resistance. The same interaction was found for latent period (LP), the most important component of partial resistance. Julia showed a shortened LP for isolate 18. Genetic analyses revealed, that Julia carries a polygene for longer LP not present in the other cultivars. The effect of this polygene appears to be broken by isolate 18 indicative for a gene-for-isolate relation, and even for a gene-forgene relation.Samenvatting Partiële resistantie van gerst voor dwergroest,Puccinia hordei, is gekenmerkt door een vertraagde epidemie-opbouw ondanks een vatbaar infectietype. Gerstrassen variëren sterk in partiële resistentie en haar componenten. In een toets ter bestudering van de interactie tussen waardplant en pathogeenisolaat bleek de meeste variatie horizontaal van aard te zijn. In de combinatie van Julia met isolaat 18 werd echter een differentiële interactie waargenomen; Julia had een klein deel van zijn partiële resistentie verloren. Dezelfde interactie werd waargenomen voor de belangrijkste component van partiële resistentie, de latentieperiode (LP); Julia had een iets verkorte LP voor isolaat 18. Genetische analyses toonden aan, dat Julia een polygen voor langere LP bevat; dit gen is niet aanwezig in de andere bestudeerde rassen. Er wordt verondersteld dat het effect van dit polygen door isolaat 18 is doorbroken. Dit wijst op een gen-om-isolaat en zelfs op een gen-om-gen-relatie.     

Metabolism of phaseollin by different races of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

The ability of four races of the bean pathogenColletotrichum lindemuthianum to metabolize the phytoalexin phaseollin in shake cultures was compared. Apart from some differences in the rate of conversion, all races metabolized the phytoalexin in the same way. Phaseollin was first converted to 6a-hydroxyphaseollin, and this product was further metabolized to 6a, 7-dihydroxyphaseollin. No metabolites of the latter compound could be detected.6a, 7-Dihydroxyphaseollin was as inhibitory as phaseollin to race 11, but was only slightly inhibitory to races 1, 2 and 1.Samenvatting Een vergelijkend onderzoek werd verricht naar het vermogen van vier fysiologische rassen van het bonepathogeenColletotrichum lindemuthianum om het fytoalexine phaseolline om te zetten.In schudculturen waaraan 10 g phaseolline/ml was toegevoegd, werd dit door alle fysio's op gelijke wijze omgezet, hoewel met verschillende snelheid (Fig. 1). Steeds werd phaseolline eerst omgezet tot 6a-hydroxyphaseolline, en dit produkt vervolgens tot een verbinding die geïdentificeerd kon worden als 6a, 7-dihydroxyphaseolline. Hierna konden geen verdere produkten worden aangetoond.6a, 7-Dihydroxyphaseolline was even fungitoxisch als phaseolline voor fysio 11, maar was slechts weinig fungitoxisch voor de fysio's 1, 2 en 1 (Tabel 1).De verschillen in omzettingssnelheid van phaseolline en in gevoeligheid voor phaseolline ee zijn omzettingsprodukten die tussen de fysio's gevonden zijn, zijn onvoldoende om de fysiospecifieke interacties tussen de boon en de verschillende fysio's vanC. lindemuthianum te verklaren.     

Analysis of gene sequences for the nucleocapsid protein from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tomato spotted wilt virus</Emphasis> for promoting RNA-mediated cross-protection using the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Potato virus X</Emphasis> vector system

Virus interactions between Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and Potato virus X (PVX) containing the nucleocapsid protein (N) gene sequences were examined to evaluate the capacity of the N gene sequences from TSWV to promote RNA-mediated cross-protection. Plants simultaneously inoculated with TSWV and PVX containing the 3 96bp of the N gene were highly resistant to TSWV infection, whereas no such resistance was observed in plants inoculated with TSWV and PVX containing the 5 96bp. These results suggest that the 3 portion of the N gene has a higher capacity for promoting RNA-mediated cross-protection of TSWV.     

Influences of host age, sex ratio, population density, and photoperiod on parasitism by Trichogramma evanescens Westw. (Hym., Trichogrammatidae)

Moth species Ephestia kuehniella and Sitotroga cerealella are serious pests in cereal-based food processing facilities and stores in Turkey. Control of these pests is undertaken by regular space treatment of infested areas with pesticides. An alternative control method could be the release of parasitic wasps of the genus Trichogramma. In laboratory tests, we use T. evanescens as a parasitic wasp reared on the eggs of Ephestia kuehniella. Adult wasps emerging from the host were maintained in glass tubes at 27±1° C, 60–70±5% r.h and L14:D10 and fed on honey solution. Adults of T. evanescens in vials without food enclosed from host eggs and all died within 1.8days; in comparison, in vials with honey, live adults were evident for 15.2days. Fresh (6–48h) and old (72–96h) host eggs were offered to T. evanescens and fresh eggs were more accepted than old. Host acceptance of females with males in vials was better than without males. The number of females in the vials also influenced the parasitization rate and single female parasitized more eggs. Adults living in light regime (L14:D10 and L6:D18) parasitized more eggs than in total darkness. Results are discussed with relation to enhancing parasitoid effectiveness in biological control in processing facilities and mills.