Genetic relationships between the dominant genotypes of Phytophthora infestans in Hokkaido, Japan

The genetic characteristics of the dominant genotypes of Phytophthora infestans in Japan (US-1, JP-1, Japanese A1-A, A1-B) were compared. Differences were evident in the peptidase genotype, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and RG57 DNA fingerprints. Almost all of the fingerprint bands for the Japanese genotype A1-B were also present in JP-1 and Japanese A1-A, and few bands were unique to Japanese A1-B. These results suggest that the Japanese A1-B genotype was generated from sexual reproduction involving Japanese A1-A and JP-1 or related genotypes.     

Survey of the response of 82 domestic landraces of Zea mays to cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) reveals geographical region‐related resistance to CMV in Japan

Zea mays has been historically imported to Japan via two independent geographical routes: into southern Japan by trading with Europe in the 16th century and into northern Japan by import from North America in the 19th century. Breeding to genetically improve on quality traits and high yields has led to the current domestic landraces in each region. In a survey of 82 domestic landraces, nine out of 38 landraces originating from southern Japan showed complete immunity to cucumber mosaic virus yellow strain (CMV(Y)) without the formation of necrotic local lesions (NLLs). In contrast, three out of 44 landraces originating from northern Japan developed NLLs, but revealed no systemic spread of the virus. Due to the absence of good documentation on NLL formation in Z. mays, the response of domestic landraces Aso‐1 and Aso‐3, originating from Ibaraki in northern Japan, to a challenge with CMV(Y) and CMV(Ma‐1) was further analysed. Aso‐3 only formed NLL in response to CMV(Y) but not to CMV(Ma‐1). Moreover, in CMV(Y)‐inoculated Aso‐3, virus spread was restricted to the primary infection site and the expression of defence‐related genes was up‐regulated, whereas Aso‐1 became systemically infected with either CMV(Y) or CMV(Ma‐1). The response of Aso‐3 to CMV(Y) was inherited as a single dominant trait. Together, these results pointed towards the induction of hypersensitive response (HR)‐mediated resistance to CMV(Y) in Aso‐3. Although HR‐mediated resistance to viruses has been studied mainly in dicots, the pathosystem CMV–Z. mays may provide a model to investigate HR‐mediated resistance to viruses in monocot plants.     

Sexual mating preferences in vitro and in planta among Japanese isolates of Phytophthora infestans

The sexual preferences of Japanese isolates of Phytophthora infestans were determined by mating on agar, in broth, or in plants. The influence of their sexual preference was confirmed in the host tissues. Three wild-type isolates and a -glucuronidase (GUS) transformant were co-cultured to identify the origin of antheridia and oogonia. Japanese A1 isolate had a unique sexual preference compared with foreign isolates. It produced self-fertile oospores with about 40% of total gametangia but tended to form antheridia on V-8 agar medium. In addition, oospores were formed in plants, but their sexual preference could not be reflected in vitro.     

Effect of environmental factors and prey species on daytime and nighttime vertical distribution of juvenile walleye pollock in and around Funka Bay

We examined factors affecting the vertical distribution of juvenile walleye pollock during “the second critical period” (i.e. the transition period of prey size) in and around Funka Bay, Hokkaido, Japan. During the day, small juveniles (<30 mm) were distributed mainly in shallow, warm, and low-salinity water within the bay, whereas larger ones (≥30 mm) occurred in deeper, cold and saline water. During the night, the large juveniles migrated to shallower depths. Outside the bay, small- and large-sized juveniles were distributed in water masses of similar physical properties during the daytime, whereas during the nighttime, most of the juveniles moved to shallower depth, and some juveniles dived to deeper water mass. Dietary analysis revealed that large juveniles fed on large copepods (≥0.5 mm in body width) more than small juveniles did. The composition of zooplankton in our survey area showed that large-sized copepods often occurred in deeper saline water. From these results, there is a possibility that juvenile pollock inside and outside Funka Bay occupied different water masses preferable for each feeding advantage.     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Homology Among Strains of Soybean-Nodulating Bacteria

Abstract

Characteristics of Brown Forest soils developed under different bio-climatic conditions from low to high eleyations in the Kinki District were studied with special reference to their pedogenetic processes. The Brown Forest soils at high elevations were characterized by a lower bulk density, higher capacities to adsorb organic matter, phosphate, and moisture, which were correlated with the ratio of the amorphous content to the clay content (the value of the ratio of (Feo + Alo)/clay), as compared to those at low elevations. Considering the fact that the value of the (Feo + Alo)/clay ratio was not correlated with the volcanic glass index, the formation of an amorphous fraction at high elevations was considered to proceed according to the following mechanism.

Low temperature at high elevations (above 700 m) may retard the crystallization of oxide minerals. The amorphous oxides with variable positive charge thus formed may adsorb organic matter, confering a darker color and high moisture and high phosphate retention capacities to the subsoil. Adsorbed organic matter stabilizes these amorphous oxides, thus enhancing the amorphous properties and inhibiting crystallization. A1 translocation due to the weak podzolization may contribute to the increase of the content of amorphous materials.

Characterization of the B horizons in forest soils in Japan, in terms of the values of the ratios of (Feo + Alo)/clay, (Fed-Feo)/Fet, and Alo/Ald, (CEC -ECEQ/CEC and STPT-ZPC, suggested that forest soils might be classified into four groups.     

Involvement of a vascular hypersensitive response in quantitative resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum on tomato rootstock cultivar LS‐89

Ralstonia solanacearum causes bacterial wilt disease in Solanaceae spp. Expression of the Phytophthora inhibitor protease 1 (PIP1) gene, which encodes a papain‐like extracellular cysteine protease, is induced in R. solanacearum‐inoculated stem tissues of quantitatively resistant tomato cultivar LS‐89, but not in susceptible cultivar Ponderosa. Phytophthora inhibitor protease 1 is closely related to Rcr3, which is required for the Cf‐2‐mediated hypersensitive response (HR) to the leaf mould fungus Cladosporium fulvum and manifestation of HR cell death. However, up‐regulation of PIP1 in R. solanacearum‐inoculated LS‐89 stems was not accompanied by visible HR cell death. Nevertheless, upon electron microscopic examination of inoculated stem tissues of resistant cultivar LS‐89, several aggregated materials associated with HR cell death were observed in xylem parenchyma and pith cells surrounding xylem vessels. In addition, the accumulation of electron‐dense substances was observed within the xylem vessel lumen of inoculated stems. Moreover, when the leaves of LS‐89 or Ponderosa were infiltrated with 10⁶ cells mL^?1 R. solanacearum, cell death appeared in LS‐89 at 18 and 24 h after infiltration. The proliferation of bacteria in the infiltrated leaf tissues of LS‐89 was suppressed to approximately 10–30% of that in Ponderosa, and expression of the defence‐related gene PR‐2 and HR marker gene hsr203J was induced in the infiltrated tissues. These results indicated that the response of LS‐89 is a true HR, and induction of vascular HR in xylem parenchyma and pith cells surrounding xylem vessels seems to be associated with quantitative resistance of LS‐89 to R. solanacearum.     

Estimation of kelp forest, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Laminaria</Emphasis> spp., distributions in coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula,Hokkaido, Japan,using echosounder and geostatistical analysis

Sustainable management of the kelp forests of the Shiretoko Peninsula, a World Natural Heritage site, is necessary due to kelp’s ecological and economic importance. The objectives of this study were to estimate the area of kelp forests and to clarify their spatial characteristics in coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula. Data on the presence/absence and thickness of kelp forests were collected via acoustic observation on transects over about 80 km using an echosounder at 200 kHz. Acoustic data were geostatistically interpolated, and the areas covered by kelp forests were estimated. Differences in kelp distribution between the eastern and western sides of the peninsula were compared. The total area of kelp forest was 3.88 km² (eastern area: 3.49 km²; western area: 0.39 km²). The range of thickness of the kelp forests was 34–91 cm. Many kelp forests in the eastern area were thick (>78 cm) and distributed continuously, while kelp forests in the western area were sparsely distributed.     

Effects of delayed first feeding on the survival and growth of tiger grouper,Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål, 1775), larvae

The effects of delayed first feeding on the survival and growth of tiger grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål 1775), larvae were examined under controlled conditions. The total length, yolk sac volume, oil globule volume, yolk sac absorption time and nutritional transition period (NTP) of the larvae fed at different first times (0, 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after the mouth opening stage; h AMO) were compared. Larval first feed intake was observed at 54 h after hatching (h AH) at 27.5 ± 0.5 °C. The yolk sac was consumed more rapidly with an increase in delayed first feeding and was significantly different among treatments (P<0.05). Larvae first fed at 0 h AMO had the longest yolk sac absorption (72 h AH) and NTP (20 h) times and had the highest survival and growth rates at the end of the experimental period (360 h AH), being significantly higher (P<0.05) than the other treatments. First mortality was observed at 69 h AH, approximately 2 h after point of no return (PNR) occurred. This study suggests that first feeding of tiger grouper larvae should commence at 0 h AMO for enhancement of larval survival and growth.