Carbon dioxide assimilation by virus-free sugarcane plants and by plants which were infected by Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus

Infection of sugarcane by Sugarcane Yellow Leaf Virus (SCYLV) remains mostly asymptomatic. The assimilation rates and the water relations parameters were measured to test whether the plants are already inflicted by the infection. The assimilation rate and the stomatal conductance were 10–30% higher in virus-free plants than in infected plants. The observed differences were significant in young potted plants, not in older field plants. Virus-free leaves had a higher bundle sheath leakiness and a lower ¹³C discrimination rate than infected leaves. The water relations parameters of SCYLV-infected asymptomatic plants showed resemblance to those of salinity- and drought-stressed plants.     

Impact of sugarcane yellow leaf virus (ScYLV) on the carbohydrate status of sugarcane: Comparison of virus-free plants with symptomatic and asymptomatic virus-infected plants

The carbohydrate concentration of old and young sugarcane plants, either virus-free or infected by sugarcane yellow leaf virus, was compared. Internode lengths and fresh weights of symptomatic plants were reduced, but not the sucrose concentrations. Starch and sucrose concentration in green leaf tops of mature (18 months old) was the highest in asymptomatic plants followed by symptomatic, and then by virus-free plants. Carbohydrates increased during daytime by 5–20%. The carbohydrate concentration in leaves of young, 6 months old plants was much lower than in mature plants and it increased to 500% during daytime. Asymptomatic leaves had a higher level of carbohydrates, especially starch, from late afternoon until the end of the night, suggesting a reduction of assimilate export.     

The influence of cyst nematodes and drought on potato growth. 2. Effects on plant water relations under semi-controlled conditions

Potatoes were grown under a permanent rain shelter in mobile containers in soil with and without potato cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida). The plants were either subjected to an early drought stress period from planting until 43 days after planting, to a late drought stress period during tuber bulking or to a drought control. Leaf water potentials, stomatal diffusion resistances for water vapour, transpiration rates, dry matter accumulation and water use efficiencies of the plants were determined periodically. Both drought and nematodes decreased leaf water potential and increased stomatal resistance.Drought led to a higher water use efficiency, cyst nematode infection, however, reduced the water use efficiency at early stages of growth, and increased it at later stages. It is concluded that at least two main growth reducing mechanisms exist of which the relative importance varies with time. Firstly, reduced apparent assimilation rates, which are unrelated to a change in the water balance caused by the initial attack by the cyst nematodes. Secondly, a reduced dry matter accumulation resulting from a decrease of water uptake. Effects of drought and cyst nematode infection on plant growth and water relations were not always additive mainly because infected plants used up less water leading to less drought stress.     

The influence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aphanomyces cochlioides</Emphasis> on selected physiological processes in sugar beet leaves and yield parameters

Alterations in some physiological processes in source leaves of sugar beet—such as chlorophyll and carbohydrate concentrations, stomatal conductance, rate of net photosynthesis and transpiration, and activity of the photosynthetic apparatus during root interaction with Aphanomyces cochlioides, were investigated. The influence of time of infection on plant health, yield quality and quantity was also examined. Plants were infected at different times of their growth period: on the sowing day and 4 or 8 weeks after sowing. A variation treatment, with non-pelleted seeds infected on the sowing day, was also analyzed. The experiment showed that development of disease symptoms depends on the time of infection and seed protection. A significant root yield decrease was observed in case of late infection, as compared to the yield of plants infected on the sowing day. The fresh weight of leaves was significantly increased where there was late infection. The infected plants showed a lower content of K⁺, Na⁺ and α-amino-N than did the controls. Infection by A. cochlioides induced chlorophyll degradation mostly in older leaves with the occurrence of natural senescence processes. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters indicated that the photosynthetic apparatus of younger leaves was more sensitive to pathogen infection, when compared to older ones. The photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was reduced in young leaves mainly due to disturbance of the water-splitting system. In plants grown from non-pelleted seeds a strong impairment of PSII was observed only in those leaves which developed during early pathogen infection. In young leaves of plants infected in the fourth week after sowing, inhibition of the rate of net photosynthesis was correlated with the increase in intercellular CO₂ concentration, indicating some disturbance in the carbon assimilation phase. In mature leaves of late infected plants the reduction of photosynthesis net rate was associated with a decrease of stomatal conductance and an increase of diffusion resistance to CO₂ and H₂O, which was also the cause of the transpiration rate inhibition. When the leaves developed during early infection, an increase of specific leaf weight and accumulation of carbohydrates was observed. In mature leaves of non-protected plants infected on the sowing day, the recovery of all physiological processes was observed together with a diminution of disease symptoms.     

Impact of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sugarcane yellow leaf virus</Emphasis> on growth and sugar yield of sugarcane

A survey revealed that Sugarcane yellow leaf virus (SCYLV) is found on all Hawaiian sugarcane plantations including those where no yellow leaf symptoms were observed. In a comparison of growth and yield between SCYLV-infected and SCYLV-free plants of the cultivar H87-4094, germination and early shoot growth of infected plants were retarded. The number of stalks per stool was reduced by 30%, biomass was reduced by 29%, and sugar yield by 26% when plants were harvested after 11 months. Yields did not decrease when plants were harvested after 2 years. Thus, SCYLV could reduce yield, even when the plants were asymptomatic. In a field test of SCYLV-susceptible (infected) and -resistant cultivars to compare growth and yield, 10 commercial cultivars (six susceptible and four resistant to SCYLV) were grown in eight fields with different climates and soils. Primary stalk length, biomass and sugar yield did not differ between susceptible and resistant cultivars under any field conditions. Thus, harmful effects of SCYLV on yield cannot be deduced by comparing different cultivars.     

Water uptake and proline index as indicators of predisposition in tomato plants to Phytophthora nicotianae infection as influenced by abiotic stresses

To identify quantitative indicators of predisposition and stress development in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Counter) plants infected by Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan, we examined plants grown under stress-inducing nutrient conditions exposed to different levels of radiation and infection. The plant's response was investigated by analysing plant growth, proline content and disease development. From all plant growth parameters investigated, only leaf surface area and total fresh mass showed a response to radiation and infection, and both indicators were strongly correlated. However, because of the destructive character of these indicators, non- or minimal destructive indicators were sought. To this end, here we report that water uptake per plant (WP) and water uptake per plant and day (WPD) and proline content of leaves represent useful tools to assess plant health status during growth.     

Activities of antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic responses in tomato pre-treated by plant activators and inoculated by Xanthomonas vesicatoria

The activities of antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic responses were investigated in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. var.) pre-treated by plant activators and inoculated by Xanthomonas vesicatoria. Plants were sprayed with acibenzolar-S-methyl, ASM [Bion^® 50 WG (0.2 g l⁻¹)] and aqueous extract from dry necrotic tissue flour (VLA) of ‘Lobeira’ (Solanum lycocarpum) bush. Four days later, the plants were challenged with a virulent strain of X. vesicatoria, under greenhouse conditions. Tomato leaves were then assessed to determine the activities of the main antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). A reduction of bacterial leaf spot severity was observed in plants treated by ASM (49.3%) and VLA (31.4%), without any in vitro inhibitory activity over the pathogen. Controls showed decreases in CO₂ assimilation, transpiration, photosynthetic rates, and stomatal conductance. Water use efficiency and carboxylation efficiency were strongly affected in ASM- and VLA-treated, in comparison to controls and healthy plants. The tested substances induced increases in SOD and CAT activities in a delayed enzymatic response typical in compatible plant–pathogen interactions. Measured at daily intervals, activities of APX and POX were significantly (ρ0.05) higher in treated plants than in controls, except for APX in ASM-treated plants where no difference was found when compared to controls. Only POX was clearly induced at the earlier stages after spraying the tomato plants with ASM or VLA. Our results suggest that late increases in antioxidant enzyme activities may play a role in mitigating oxidative damage in restoring the photosynthetic imbalance imposed by the expansion of bacterial lesions.     

八种十字花科寄主植物真叶和子叶的化学成分及其对小菜蛾生长发育及生理代谢的影响

为明确小菜蛾Plutella xylostella对寄主植物真叶和子叶的适合度,于室内测定8种十字花科植物改良青杂3号、改良露头青、陕油0913、甘杂1号、超级火箕青、四月慢、绿球66和中花尖叶芥蓝真叶和子叶的营养物质和次生代谢物质的含量,并测定取食后小菜蛾幼虫的取食选择性、发育历期、蛹重、保护酶和解毒酶活性。结果显示,8种寄主植物真叶的可溶性糖、总氨基酸、单宁、类黄酮和总酚含量之间差异显著,且大部分均显著高于其子叶,8种寄主植物子叶的可溶性糖、总氨基酸、单宁、类黄酮和总酚含量之间也差异显著。小菜蛾3龄幼虫偏好取食真叶;取食8种寄主植物真叶后成虫前期的发育历期为12.3～16.3 d,取食子叶后成虫前期的发育历期为14.3～18.6 d;取食子叶的蛹重明显低于取食其真叶;取食8种寄主植物真叶的小菜蛾幼虫体内超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）、过氧化物酶（peroxidase,POD）、过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶（glutathione S-transferase,GST）、羧酸酯酶（carboxylesterase,Car...     

黄瓜花叶病毒M株系引致烟草症状恢复的初步研究

 黄瓜花叶病毒M株系在白肋烟上具有典型的症状恢复现象,本研究用提纯病毒和DAS-ELISA建立了CMV-M病毒定量检测方法。研究发现,症状严重程度与叶片中的病毒浓度呈正相关:最早发病的黄化叶每克病组织中病毒可高达790 μg,而恢复叶片上部再发病的花叶症状病叶中每克病组织中病毒也可高达508 μg,恢复叶片中病毒含量很低,每克叶片中最高也没有超过6 μg,仅为发病叶片病毒浓度的1/85~1/135,远低于根和茎中的病毒浓度。RT-PCR和生物学检测结果表明恢复叶片中确实存在具侵染活性的病毒,而且病毒在长达半个月以上一直保持很低浓度。结果表明恢复叶中可能存在有效的病毒防御机制,其具体机理有待进一步研究。     

Aerial Contamination of Sugarcane in Guadeloupe by Two Strains of Xanthomonas albilineans

Two sugarcane plots were set up in Guadeloupe with disease-free tissue cultured plants in a banana growing location distant from sugarcane fields. Thirteen weeks after planting sugarcane in the field, a Xanthomonas albilineans strain belonging to serotype 3 (strain XaS3) was detected in water sampled at sunrise on the leaves in the first plot. This strain randomly invaded the sugarcane canopy. Seven weeks later, a new strain belonging to serotype 1 (strain XaS1) appeared on leaves and populations of strain XaS1 progressively increased on the leaf surface, whereas populations of strain XaS3 progressively decreased. Leaf scald symptoms were first noted 26 weeks after sugarcane planting. However, only strain XaS1 was isolated from leaves and a few sugarcane stalks showing symptoms. Both strains also colonized the second field plot, which was studied at the end of the experiment to avoid human interference of aerial contamination of sugarcane. After inoculation of three sugarcane cultivars by the decapitation technique, strain XaS1 was as virulent or more virulent than five other strains of X. albilineans isolated from diseased sugarcane plants in Guadeloupe. Although strain XaS3 colonized a few stalks, it failed to produce any symptoms and was the least virulent strain. Leaf surface colonization by X. albilineans was reproduced in a greenhouse trial by spraying the pathogen on sugarcane foliage. After 8 weeks, the pathogen was isolated from disinfected leaf blades. Although the leaf scald pathogen is thought to be mainly transmitted by infected cuttings, aerial transmission of X. albilineans is also known to occur. These results indicate the importance of sugarcane phyllosphere colonization by virulent strains in the epidemiological cycle of leaf scald disease in Guadeloupe.     

Acquisition of potato virus YN by Myzus persicae from primarily infected ‘Bintje’ potato plants

When ‘Bintje’ potato plants were inoculated mechanically with potato virus Y^N (PVY^N),Myzus persicae acquired PVY^N from both the inoculated and non-inoculated leaves about one week earlier than when plants were inoculated byM. persicae. Only when young plants of about four weeks after planting were inoculated byM. persicae, this aphid acquired PVY^N from the non-inoculated top leaves within a fortnight. When plants later than four weeks after planting were inoculated byM. persicae it generally took at least four weeks for this aphid to acquire PVY^N from non-inoculated top and other leaves of such plants. A number of leaves situated on the potato stems near to the inoculated ones did not serve as a PVY^N-source forM. persicae within the experimental period of 38 days. The results indicate that it is possible that in seed potato growing areas primarily infected PVY^N-infected plants, not yet showing symptoms, can act as virus sources for further spread. This is especially true in the beginning of the season.     

尖孢镰刀菌侵染对马铃薯光合效率和叶绿素荧光参数影响

为研究枯萎病对马铃薯光合特性的影响,在幼苗期接种尖孢镰刀菌Fusarium oxysporum后,统计抗病品种陇薯10号和感病品种新大坪的病情指数,并测定叶绿素含量、光合及荧光参数。结果表明,尖孢镰刀菌侵染30 d后马铃薯表现出枯萎病症状,叶绿素含量显著降低,其中叶绿素a含量降幅最大,抗病品种陇薯10号比对照降低9.64%,感病品种新大坪比对照降低14.24%。尖孢镰刀菌侵染后马铃薯光合效率显著降低,侵染30 d后,抗病品种陇薯10号净光合速率比对照降低39.56%,感病品种新大坪比对照降低47.13%。病株的光响应曲线参数光补偿点、暗呼吸速率和表观量子效率都显著提高;而光饱和点和最大净光合速率都显著低于对照,表明尖孢镰刀菌侵染缩小了马铃薯对光能的利用有效范围。病株CO2响应曲线参数CO2饱和点、最大净光合速率和羧化效率分别显著低于对照;病株CO2补偿点和光呼吸速率反而升高,说明碳同化过程受到尖孢镰刀菌的限制。暗适应下的初始荧光、最小荧光、最大荧光、PSII最大光化学效率、光适应下PSII最大光化学效率及实际光化学效率、光化学猝灭系数、非光化学猝灭系数和光合电子传递速率均显著低于对照,...     

禾草内生真菌与丛枝菌根互作对多年生黑麦草生长及叶斑病的影响

为明确禾草内生真菌和丛枝菌根真菌(arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,AMF)互作对多年生黑麦草Lolium perenne生长发育及叶斑病的影响,设置禾草内生真菌处理(由带有和不带禾草内生真菌种子建立)、AMF(幼套球囊霉Claroideoglomus etunicatum和根内球囊霉Rhizophagus intraradices)单独接种和混合接种处理及不接菌处理(对照),并在植物生长6周后接种或不接种多年生黑麦草叶斑病病原菌根腐离蠕孢Bipolaris sorokiniana,测定各处理多年生黑麦草的发病率、叶绿素含量、净光合速率、水分利用效率、AMF侵染率、P含量和生物量。结果表明:接种病原菌2周后,多年生黑麦草叶斑病的发病率为25.00%～38.75%,禾草内生真菌和幼套球囊霉均在一定程度上降低了多年生黑麦草的发病率,二者共同作用时发病率显著降低了35.48%。禾草内生真菌与AMF互作能在一定程度上提高植物叶绿素含量,促进光合作用,并促进P吸收和植物生长,二者的互作效应因禾草内生真菌与AMF组合而异,但均优于二者单独使用时的效应,其中禾草内生真菌与幼套球囊霉互作对多年生黑麦草生长及叶斑病防治的效果最好。     

Nucleoside/nucleotide pools in wheat leaves naturally infected with Erysiphe graminis. I. Changes in the flag leaf

Nucleoside and nucleotide contents of the flag leaves of wheat plants, naturally infected with the powdery mildew fungus Erysiphe graminis were analysed in a field experiment. Fungicide treated plants were used as controls. Only low levels of infection occurred during the experiment (1% to 4% of the leaf area), but they resulted in higher leaf dry weight, and lower levels of chlorophyll, inorganic phosphate and NADP compared with the control plants. Although the total adenine nucleotide pools were the same in the flag leaves of infected and control plants, the energy charge values were slightly larger in the infected flag leaves. The total nucleoside content was higher in the infected flag leaves than the control; while the adenosine pool decreased, that of uridine increased strongly. Although the level of UDP-glucose was similar in the flag leaves of infected and control plants only decreasing slightly with time, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, a precursor for fungal chitin biosynthesis, showed very different behaviour. The amounts of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine were very low in the control plants but increased greatly in the infected flag leaves to very high values (900nmol g⁻¹ d.wt) obviously reflecting exploitation of the hosts metabolism by the fungus for precursors for chitin biosynthesis. The size of the uridine pools was also correlated with the degree of infection and probably reflected recycling of the UDP moiety.     

Symptom development,in planta distribution,and transmission of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Impatiens necrotic spot virus</Emphasis> in gentian: evidence for survival in roots and winter buds

Impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) causes serious damage to gentian (Gentiana spp.). Symptom development, in planta distribution, and transmission of INSV were studied after mechanical inoculation of gentian plants and propagation of shoot cuttings from infected stock plants. When young gentian plants at the 2nd-leaf stage were inoculated with INSV, plants developed systemic symptoms that were restricted to a few upper leaves. However, older plants at the 6th-leaf stage did not develop systemic symptoms. After plant inoculation, INSV was detected using DAS-ELISA in symptomatic upper leaves, and rootlets and winter buds, but not in asymptomatic leaves. When asymptomatic shoot cuttings from infected stock plants were vegetatively propagated in a thrips-free glasshouse, 44.4% of those obtained from the apical shoot and 20.6% of those obtained from the middle section of the plant developed systemic symptoms. These results indicated that when gentian plants were infected with INSV, the virus was preferentially transported from the infected leaves to the root and winter buds. However, even asymptomatic shoot cuttings may develop systemic symptoms when obtained from infected stock plants. Therefore, vegetative propagation from infected stock plants can be a source of INSV infection.     

Impact of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Erysiphe alphitoides</Emphasis> on transpiration and photosynthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus robur</Emphasis> leaves

Oak powdery mildew, (Erysiphe alphitoides) causes one of the most common diseases of oaks. We assessed the impact of this pathogen on photosynthesis and water relations of infected leaves using greenhouse-grown oak seedlings. Transpiration of seedlings infected by oak powdery mildew was also investigated. Altogether, E. alphitoides had a low impact on host gas exchange whether at the leaf or whole plant scale. Maximal stomatal conductance of infected leaves was reduced by 20–30% compared to healthy controls. Severely infected seedlings did not experience any detectable change of whole plant transpiration. The reduction in net CO₂ assimilation, A_n, was less than proportional to the fraction of leaf area infected. Powdery mildew reduced both the maximal light-driven electron flux (J_max) and the apparent maximal carboxylation velocity (Vc_max) although Vc_max was slightly more impacted than J_max. No compensation for the infection occurred in healthy leaves of partly infected seedlings as the reduced photosynthesis in the infected leaves was not paralleled by increased A_n levels in the healthy leaves of the seedlings. However, E. alphitoides had a strong impact on the leaf life-span of infected leaves. It is concluded that the moderate effect of E. alphitoides on oak might be related to the small impact on net CO₂ assimilation rates and on tree transpiration; nevertheless, the severe reduction in leaf life-span of heavily infected leaves may lead to decreased carbon uptake over the growth season.     

Effects of inoculum density,plant age and temperature on disease severity caused by pythiaceous fungi on several plants

Alfalfa, maize, sorghum and sugarbeet plants were inoculated with zoospores ofPhytophthora andPythium species in order to assess the effects of inoculum density, plant age and temperature on disease severity. Seedlings were grown axenically in test tubes and inoculated with zoospore suspensions. Disease severity was assessed by measuring the root growth and discoloration of treated and control seedlings. The incremental root length of all plants decreased and root discoloration increased as inoculum concentration of the pathogen increased. Changes were more intensive among low levels of zoospore concentrations and no significant differences in disease severity were found for inoculum densities higher than 10⁴ zoospores ml^-1. Disease severity was negatively related to plant age. Disease development on sugarbeet seedlings infected withPythium andPhytophthora species was affected by temperature, but the pattern of response was determined by the pathogen’s temperature preferences. The incremental root length decreased as temperature increased up to 25°C. The effect ofPythium dissimile andPhytophthora cactorum on root length was significantly lower at 35°C than at 25°C, whereasPythium aphanidermatum andPhytophthora nicotianae caused significant damage to roots even at 35°C. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Dec. 3, 2001.     

基于HYDRUS软件的植物混掺土壤水分特征曲线分析

为探求植物混掺对土壤持水性产生的影响,以甘肃景泰地区土壤为试验材料,设置1％玉米芯、1％玉米叶、3％玉米芯、3％玉米叶等不同比例、不同秸秆混掺物4种处理,采用离心机法测定土壤水分特性曲线,同时利用HYDRUS软件进行模拟计算。结果表明,在相同吸力下,相同混掺物处理,混掺比为3％的土壤体积含水率高于混掺比为1％的土壤;相同混掺比处理,混掺玉米叶的土壤体积含水率高于混掺玉米芯的土壤,且混掺处理后土壤体积含水率均高于纯土;不同土壤水分特征曲线的模型拟合分析表明,不同处理的最优拟合模型均为Van Genucht-en模型。研究结果可为探索该地区植物混掺条件下土壤水盐运移规律提供一定参考。     

番茄黄化曲叶病毒北京分离物侵染性克隆的构建与其致病性

为明确番茄黄化曲叶病毒北京分离物（Beijing isolate of tomato yellow leaf curl virus,TYLCV-BJ）致病性的强弱,以感染TYLCV-BJ的番茄叶片DNA为模板PCR扩增获得该分离物基因组全长序列,并构建该分离物的侵染性克隆,将其分别接种到番茄、烟草和拟南芥植株上,比较该分离物和TYLCV上海分离物2(TYLCV-Shanghai 2,TYLCV-SH2)致病性的差异。结果显示,该分离物基因组全长序列同TYLCV-SH2的相似度为99.03%,在番茄和烟草植株上TYLCV-BJ比TYLCV-SH2发病更早,症状更重,TYLCV DNA和外壳蛋白积累量更高。TYLCV-BJ可以通过农杆菌Agrobacterium tumefaciens注射法在拟南芥中复制和系统侵染,而TYLCV-SH2不能有效侵染拟南芥。表明TYLCV-BJ的致病性强于TYLCV-SH2,所建立的侵染性克隆有广泛的研究和应用价值。     

Method to diagnose latent infection by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Glomerella cingulata</Emphasis> in strawberry plants using ethanol

Signs on strawberry leaves with latent infection by Glomerella cingulata became visible by a simple diagnostic method using ethanol immersion treatment (SDEI). Leaves treated with SDEI changed to dark brown or nearly black, and salmon-pink conidial masses were subsequently produced in the acervuli 5–10 days after incubation in moist petri dishes. The formation rate of conidial masses through SDEI was higher as the position of the leaves became lower. Conidial masses were produced more readily and abundantly when SDEI was performed at 28°C than at 22°, 25°, or 31°C. Latent infection was found to last 1–180 days. There was no difference in the time required for conidial production or in the rate of conidial formation regardless of isolate, cultivar, or leaf position. The varietal difference in resistance to strawberry anthracnose did not influence the rate of conidial mass formation after SDEI. SDEI is thus useful for detecting latent infections during the process of selecting disease-free plants.