Identification of a bacterium isolated from galls on carrot and weeds

In 2004, bacterial galls were found on the roots of carrots in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Galls were about 0.1–2 cm in diameter, light brown in color and had rough surfaces. In 2005, similar galls were found on the roots of three weeds: henbit (Lamium amplexicaule L.), Persian speedwell (Veronica persica Poir.) and leaf mustard (Brassica juncea L.). A bacterium that forms white, rough colonies was isolated from the carrot and weeds galls. The bacterial isolates had properties identical with Rhizobacter dauci Goto and Kuwata. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences showed that the carrot isolate had the highest homology (similarity of 100%) with that of the type strain of R. dauci. Rep-PCR genomic fingerprinting using BOX A1R primer showed that the carrot and weeds isolates were nearly identical. Pathogenicity of the isolates was confirmed by inoculating the roots of carrots and the weeds. After 2–5 weeks, they formed galls on the roots of the original host species and on other plant species tested. The galls were indistinguishable from those formed naturally, and the inoculated bacterium was reisolated. Thus, the causal bacterium of carrot and weeds gall was identified as R. dauci, and the bacterium was found to have a wider host range than previously known. These weed hosts may serve as inoculum sources for carrot bacterial gall disease.     

Improvement in recruitment of Japanese sardine with delays of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the Sea of Japan

To evaluate the impact of temporal variation of primary productivity on the recruitment of Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) in the Sea of Japan, the phenology of sea surface phytoplankton abundance was estimated from 8 day multiple satellite (SeaWiFS, MODIS‐Aqua, MERIS, and VIIRS) derived sea surface chlorophyll (SSChl) a concentrations from January 1998 to December 2015. Because relationships between SSChl a and in situ chlorophyll a concentrations were significantly different among periods based on the satellite combinations used, maximum and minimum SSChl a concentrations of 1 year were relativized as 1 and 0, respectively. Spatio‐temporal variation of relativized SSChl a concentrations was determined by using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. Scores in the first EOF mode denoted the basin‐scale variations of SSChl a concentrations in the Sea of Japan, and the major peak from the end of February to the end of May displayed the spring bloom. The logarithm of recruitment per spawner (LNRPS) for sardine was positively affected by delays in the start and end dates of the spring phytoplankton bloom. The delay of the date of the lowest sea surface temperature contributed to the delay of the end of the spring bloom during the period 1998–2015 and elevated the LNRPS during the period 1982–2015. Sardine spawns in the southern Sea of Japan from April to May, hence, delays of the spring bloom prolonged its overlap with sardine larval periods, and thus improved the recruitment of Japanese sardine in the Sea of Japan.     

Effects of growing leafy daikon (Raphanus sativus) on populations of Plasmodiophora brassicae (clubroot)

Control of some soilborne pathogens may be achieved by use of decoy or catch crops. These stimulate the germination of resting spores, resulting in limited expression of disease symptoms. Results achieved using this approach are reported here using leafy daikon (radish, Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus ) for control of Plasmodiophora brassicae , the cause of clubroot disease of Brassicaceae. Disease indices of Chinese cabbage plants grown in pots that had previously contained leafy daikon were lower compared with pots where no plants had been grown before (control pots). Numbers of resting spores of P. brassicae in soil in pots after cultivation with leafy daikon were reduced by 71% compared with control pots when resting spores were recovered and counted directly. In a field experiment, numbers of resting spores were reduced by 94% compared with the start of the experiment when leafy daikon was grown in advance of Chinese cabbage, but there was no reduction in disease severity in the Chinese cabbage. Plasmodiophora brassicae infected the root hairs of leafy daikon and those of Chinese cabbage, but no clubs were found on leafy daikon roots. The results from pot trials indicate that leafy daikon may be useful as a decoy crop for the control of clubroot disease in field crops.     

Antibody responses of swine to type A influenza viruses in the most recent several years.

A serological survey was conducted on 4,080 swine sera collected for the years 1985-90. The swine sera positive to A/New Jersey/8/76 (swine type H1N1) strain were observed in annual (10-20%) and monthly (20-40%) incidences during the observation period except for occasional months. Antibodies to recent human H1N1 viruses in swine were recognized in relation to the human H1N1 influenza epidemics. Antibody responses of swine to human H3N2 strains appeared irrespective of human epidemics with the virus in the years 1985-87. However, in 1988 almost no antibodies to three human H3N2 isolates of 1983-88 were observed for this year except a few months though the human epidemic occurred in the area. Although in 1989-90 many swine had antibodies to the three strains in the percentage of 3 to 35, no antibody to the latest isolate, A/Hokkaido/20/89 (H3N2), was found for almost all the months of both years. These findings differed markedly from the possible relationship between the prevalence of H3N2 virus-antibodies in swine and the human influenza epidemics, which were described previously in many reports including our studies.     

Mutagenicity of airborne particulates in Sagamihara City.

Airborne particulates in Sagamihara city were collected on quartz fibre filters using a high-volume air sampler for 14 days in each month from July 1984 to June 1985. Organic components in airborne particulates were extracted by the ultrasonic extraction method using benzene-ethanol (3:1 v/v) as an extracting solvent. The mutagenecities of airborne particulates extract were measured by the pre-incubation method using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA98 with and without S-9mix. The concentration of airborne particulates was nearly the same level throughout the survey period, but the content of extract in particulates of winter was higher than those of other seasons. All the airborne particulates extracts showed positive mutagenic response to both strains with and without S-9mix. The average of mutagenic activities (revertants/m3 air) in winter was significantly higher than those in summer and spring. Furthermore, mutagenic activities fluctuated sharply in one month from several to ten times compared with the normal level, depending upon sampling days, and tended to be lower on Sundays and holidays in summer and new year holidays. In many days mutagenic activities without S-9mix were comparatively higher than those with S-9mix. The existence of nitroarene was surveyed using TA98NR strain. Nitroarene was found to be higher concentration in summer than in winter.