Einige Eigenschaften des weiblichen Sexualpheromons des KartoffelkäfersLeptinotarsa decemlineata Say. (Col. Chrysomelidae)

The female sex pheromone ofL. decemlineata is an aphrodisiacum, switching on mating behaviour in contacting males. A biotest is described to estimate quantitatively the exciting power of a subject (female, isolated elytrae, glass dummy coated with extract) to males. The pheromone is present only in fertile females, also in freshly killed ones. It can be extracted by organic solvents. A dummy imitating a beetle's abdomen and contaminated with the residue of a female s wash solution is exciting to males too. Suitable solvents are ethylalcohol, acetonet, hexane. By this, the pheromone of 0,1 female is detectable. The residue can be taken up again with the same or an other solvent. The solution can be stored at ?18°C without significant losses, but at temperatures>+5°C their efficacy diminishes during 2 weeks. The exciting efficacy of the dry residue desreases to about 50% during nearly 4 weeks (at+22°C) or 9 weeks (at+5°C). The pheromone resists heating to about+160°C and is destroyed at higher temperatures.     

细胞分裂素:杨树气孔运动的调节剂

通过在三种杨树无性系，Ｉ－２１４（Ｐｏｐｕｌｕｓ×ｅｕｒａｎｅｒｉｃａｎａｃｖ．Ｉ－２１４）（ｌｔａｌｉｃａ）、中东杨（Ｐ．ｂｅｒｏｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）（Ｂｅｒｏｌｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ）和群众杨（Ｐ．ｐｏｐｕｌａｒｉｓ３５－４４）（Ｐｏｐｕｌａｒｉｓ）一年生盆栽插条苗的木质部导入ＡＢＡ和细胞分裂素，研究了这两类激素在气孔调控中的作用。尽管不同无性系的气孔在对ＡＢＡ的敏感性上存在显著差异，但ＡＢＡ仍可导致气孔的关闭，然而在蒸腾流中的细胞分裂素（与ＡＢＡ共导入或分别导入）可以明显地抑制ＡＢＡ的作用。并且玉米素还能推迟土壤干旱所诱导的气孔关闭，在水分胁迫条件下，内源细胞分裂素浓度下降而同时ＡＢＡ上升．据此提出了复合胁迫信号的概念，即在根冠通讯中，是ＡＢＡ和细胞分裂素共同调控气孔的运动。另外还研究了玉米素、激动素、６－ＢＡ等不同细胞分裂素与ＡＢＡ的相互作用，结果发现６－ＢＡ与玉米素和激动素的作用相反，它不能抑制ＡＢＡ的作用，反而促进其对气孔的关闭     

Neue Untersuchungen zur biologischen Bekämpfung verschleppter Forstinsekten

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Anobien-Larven als Zapfenschädlinge an Weißtanne

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Altitudinal and longitudinal variations in Pinus brutia (Ten.) of Crete Island,Greece: some needle,cone and seed traits under natural habitats

Four populations representing the entire natural distribution range of Pinus brutia (Ten.) in Crete (Greece) were sampled to determine: (1) Altitudinal variation within populations of Lassithi, Vorizia, Koustagerako, and Samaria, and; (2) Longitudinal variation among the four populations, based on morphological and anatomical differences in cone, needle and seed characteristics. Samples were collected from 10 trees per altitude, at three altitudes in each population. A total of 12 morphological and anatomical traits from needles, cones and seeds were analyzed to assess the altitudinal and longitudinal variations of the species in the island. The number of teeth per cm showed significant (P<0.01) differences between altitudes in Samaria, Vorizia and Lassithi, while needle length, width and the number of resin canals showed significant differences (P<0.01) between altitudes in Koustagerako. Cone width showed patterns of variation along the altitudinal gradient in Koustagerako, Samaria and Vorizia. Most traits had their highest means at the middle altitudes (650masl) in all the four populations. Overall, no clear altitudinal differentiation was detected, probably due to high rate of gene flow. Longitudinal variability showed a clear pattern of differentiation along the east–west climatic gradient. Needle length, width, sheath length, number of teeth per cm and the number of resin canals were the most useful traits for determining the climatic gradient clines.     

Technological properties and fire performance of medium density fibreboard (MDF) treated with selected polyphosphate-based fire retardants

ABSTRACT

The objective of the work was to evaluate the efficacy of two new polyphosphate-based fire retardants (FRs) and one commercial product named Siriono^® on the fire performance and physical–mechanical properties of medium density fibreboard (MDF) fabricated in the laboratory from Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood. The fibres were treated with aqueous solutions of fire retardants, at 12% loading (dry salt on dry wood), and bonded with a melamine urea formaldehyde (MUF) adhesive. The physical and mechanical properties of panels were assessed using the European standards, whereas their fire performance was evaluated using an in-house method and the Cone calorimeter. In overall, the chemicals added enhanced the fire and smoke properties of the panels to varying degrees. Critical FR parameters such as peak heat release rate (peak HRR), total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) were significantly improved in the FR-treated panels, as exhibited in cone calorimeter tests. However, the internal bond strength of treated panels largely decreased by the addition of fire retardants, while thickness swell and water absorption negatively affected to a significant extent. In contrast, the formaldehyde release of the panels was considerably decreased at the E1 class level, with the incorporation of the polyphosphate-based additives.     

Radiation-use efficiency of a forest exposed to elevated concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide

We compared radiation-use efficiency of growth (epsilon;), defined as rate of biomass accumulation per unit of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation, of forest plots exposed to ambient (approximately 360 micro l l-1) or elevated (approximately 560 micro l l-1) atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]). Large plots (30-m diameter) in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation, which contained several hardwood species in the understory, were fumigated with a free-air CO2 enrichment system. Biomass accumulation of the dominant loblolly pines was calculated from monthly measurements of tree growth and site-specific allometric equations. Depending on the species, leaf area index (L*) was estimated by three methods: optical, allometric and litterfall. Based on the relationship between tree height and diameter during the first 3 years of exposure, we conclude that elevated [CO2] did not alter the pattern of aboveground biomass allocation in loblolly pine. There was considerable variation in L* estimates by the different methods; total L* was 18-42% lower when estimated by the optical method compared with estimates from allometric calculations, and this discrepancy was reduced when optical measurements were corrected for the non-random distribution of loblolly pine foliage. The allometric + litterfall approach revealed a seasonal maximum total L* of 6.2-7.1 with about 1/3 of the total from hardwood foliage. Elevated [CO2] had only a slight effect on L* in the first 3 years of this study. Mean epsilon; (+/- SD), calculated for loblolly pine only, was 0.49 +/- 0.05 and 0.62 +/- 0.04 g MJ-1 for trees in the ambient and elevated [CO2] plots, respectively. The 27% increase in epsilon; in response to CO2 enrichment was caused primarily by the stimulation of biomass increment, as there was only a small effect of elevated [CO2] on L* during the initial years of fumigation. Long-term increases in atmospheric [CO2] can increase epsilon; in closed-canopy forests but the absolute magnitude and duration of this increase remain uncertain.     

Incorporating forage grasses in riparian buffers for bioremediation of atrazine, isoxaflutole and nitrate in Missouri

Multi-species tree-shrub-grass riparian buffer systems have been recognized as one of the most cost-effective bioremediation approaches to alleviate nonpoint source agricultural pollution in heavily fertilized systems. However, highly concentrated herbicides in surface and subsurface water and shade cast by trees along the stream bank usually compromise the effectiveness of these systems. Greenhouse trials and field lysimeter studies were conducted to evaluate the tolerance of orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), timothy (Phleum pratense), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) ground covers to atrazine and Balance™ (isoxaflutole) plus their capacity to sequester and degrade these herbicides and their metabolites. Their ability to remove soil nitrate was also quantified. Concentrations of atrazine, Balance™ and their metabolites in the leachate, soil and plant samples were determined by solid phase extraction followed by high performance liquid or gas chromatographic analyses. Distribution of the herbicides and metabolites in the system was calculated using a mass balance approach. Herbicide bioremediation capacity of each lysimeter treatment was determined by the ratio of metabolites to parent herbicide plus metabolites. Bioremediation of nitrate was quantified by comparing nitrate reduction rates in grass treatments to the bare ground control. Based on this herbicide tolerance, bioremediation data and shade tolerance determined in a previous study, it was established that switch grass, tall fescue and smooth bromegrass are good candidates for incorporation into tree-shrub-grass riparian buffer systems designed for the bioremediation of atrazine, Balance™ and nitrate.     

Can the nitrogenous composition of xylem sap be used to assess salinity stress in Casuarina glauca?

It is predicted that dryland salinity will affect up to 17 Mha of the Australian landscape by 2050, and therefore, monitoring the health of tree plantings and remnant native vegetation in saline areas is increasingly important. Casuarina glauca Sieber ex Spreng. has considerable salinity tolerance and is commonly planted in areas with a shallow, saline water table. To evaluate the potential of using the nitrogenous composition of xylem sap to assess salinity stress in C. glauca, the responses of trees grown with various soil salinities in a greenhouse were compared with those of trees growing in field plots with different water table depths and groundwater salinities. In the greenhouse, increasing soil salinity led to increased allocation of nitrogen (N) to proline and arginine in both stem and root xylem sap, with coincident decreases in citrulline and asparagine. Although the field plots were ranked as increasingly saline-based on ground water salinity and depth-only the allocation of N to citrulline differed significantly between the field plots. Within each plot, temporal variation in the composition of the xylem sap was related to rainfall, rainfall infiltration and soil salinity. Periods of low rainfall and infiltration and higher soil salinity corresponded with increased allocation of N to proline and arginine in the xylem sap. The allocation of N to citrulline and asparagine increased following rainfall events where rain was calculated to have infiltrated sufficiently to decrease soil salinity. The relationship between nitrogenous composition of the xylem sap of C. glauca and soil salinity indicates that the analysis of xylem sap is an effective method for assessing changes in salinity stress in trees at a particular site over time. However, the composition of the xylem sap proved less useful as a comparative index of salinity stress in trees growing at different sites.     

Development of a murine ocular posterior segment explant culture for the study of intravitreous vector delivery

The objective of this study was to develop a murine retinal/choroidal/scleral explant culture system to facilitate the intravitreous delivery of vectors. Posterior segment explants from adult mice of 2 different age groups (4 wk and 15 wk) were cultured in serum-free medium for variable time periods. Tissue viability was assessed by gross morphology, cell survival quantification, activated caspase-3 expression, and immunohistochemistry. To model ocular gene therapy, explants were exposed to varying transducing units of a lentiviral vector expressing the gene for green fluorescent protein for 48 h. Explant retinal cells remained viable for approximately 1 wk, although the ganglion cell layer developed apoptosis between 4 and 7 d. Following vector infusion into the posterior segment cups, viral transduction was noted in multiple retinal layers in both age groups. An age of donor mouse influence was noted and older mice did not transduce as well as younger mice. This explant offers an easily managed posterior segment ocular culture with minimum disturbance of the tissue, and may be useful for investigating methods of enhancing retinal gene therapy under controlled conditions.