Novel technique for definite blastomere inhibition and distribution of maternal RNA in sterlet Acipenser ruthenus embryo

Fisheries Science - The cleavage pattern of a vertebrate’s embryo is either holoblastic (complete) or meroblastic (partial). Sturgeon and other basal bony fishes represent a transition of the...     

Stand biometry and leaf area distribution in an old olive grove at Andria, southern Italy

The objectives of this paper were (1) to provide general biometry data for an 80-year-old olive (Olea europea L., cv. Coratina) grove in Andria, southern Italy, and (2) to compare different methods for estimating leaf area distributions. Stand biometry was represented by a stocking density of 132 trees ha^?1, mean spacing of 8.7 m and mean social area (proportional to spacing and tree size) of about 76 m² per tree. Trunk total circumference averaged 110 cm and after subtraction of missing or dead parts of stems averaged 81 cm, projected area of crowns averaged 17.7 m² and the mean tree height was 4.9 m. Leaf distribution was evaluated using calibrated ground-based side photographs through image analysis and through using a simple canopy-layer model (considering hollow volume within tree crowns) and double-Gaussian curves. The mean leaf size was about 5 cm² (distributed in a log-normal manner over the range of 2 to 12 cm²). Considering whole tree crowns, the mean leaf density was about 2.6 m²m^?3; the maximum leaf area occurred in canopy layers between 1.5 to 3 m, tailing with a steeper slope to the crown base and a less steep slope to the tree-top. The foliated volume of olive crowns (mean 33.2 m³) contained on average 145 thousand leaves of the total area of 72.6 m². The corresponding leaf area index on the stand level (LAI _grove = 0.96), was rather low due to low stocking density. However when taking into account only the projected crown areas (and avoiding free space between trees), the mean LAI reached about 3.5 (range from 1–7). The radial pattern of leaf distribution derived from image analysis indicated peak LAI _rad values at a distance from the stem of about 60 to 70% of crown radius in trees of different size. The applicability of different approaches to the estimation of the necessary allometric parameters is discussed.     

Eine Methode zur integrierten Bekämpfung des Rüsselkäfers (Hylobius abietis L.)

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, da? es m?glich ist, durch die Anwendung subletaler Konzentrationen des Insektizids DTHP, d. h. durch eine allgemeine Schw?chung des Organismus erwachsener Rüsselk?fer (Hylobius abietis L.), eine geeignete Disposition dieses Sch?dlings zur Infektion durch den parasitischen PilzBeauveria bassiana (Bals-Criv.) Vuill. herbeizuführen. Die K?fer, die in Fangrinden oder Fallen an Kiefern? stchen — welche in ein kombiniertes Pr?parat einer 0,05% DTHP-Suspension (Organophosphorverbindung vom Dipterex-Typ, technischer Block 0,0-Dimethyl-2,2,2-trichlor-1-hydroxy?thyl-phosphonat) mit 0,1% Sporen vonBeauveria bassiana getaucht worden waren — konzentriert wurden, nahmen keine Nahrung mehr auf und starben allm?hlich ab. Wie die histologischen Untersuchungen gezeigt haben, wurden Erkrankung und Tod der K?fer durch den genannten parasitischen Pilz herbeigeführt. Obwohl nur zwei Vergleichsfl?chen zur Verfügung standen, ist aus dem obengesagten klar, da? bei der Anwendung des kombinierten Pr?parates mit einer gewissen selektiven Wirkung gerechnet werden kann: W?hrend an der nur mit 1% DTHP behandelten Versuchsfl?che ungef?hr 2,5% nützlicher Insekten unter den get?teten K?fern festgestellt wurden (vor allem Laufk?fer der GattungPterostichus), betrug der Prozentsatz der get?teten nützlichen Insekten bei der Anwendung des kombinierten Pr?parates (DTHPBeauveria bassiana-Sporen) nur 0,25%. Die angeführten Versuche bewiesen die Anwendbarkeit der Kombination von Insektiziden — in subletalen Dosen oder Konzentrationen — mit Sporen parasitischer Pilze.     

Artificial inoculation and susceptibility of Pinus armandii to Dothistroma septosporum

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB) is a serious needle disease of conifers that primarily affects pine species (Pinus spp.). Dothistroma septosporum is one of the DNB pathogens that has a diverse range of host species excluding Pinus armandii. In 15 inoculated P. armandii seedlings, D. septosporum acervuli were observed in 43 infected needles of ten seedlings with a mean disease severity of 1.11% at 25 weeks after inoculations, demonstrating the potential of D. septosporum to cause symptoms on the needles of P. armandii via artificial inoculation. The disease severity of P. armandii was similar to the positive control, Pinus nigra (median 0.75 for P. armandii to 0.70 for P. nigra), thus, P. armandii acts under artificial conditions as a susceptible host species.     

Structure and diversity of small-mammal communities of lowland forests in the rural central European landscape

Small-mammal communities were monitored over 4 years in South Moravian rural lowland forests in order to study relationships with various forest habitat types. Early successional sites (plantations) and forest edges maintained communities with higher abundance and diversity. Lowest total abundance was observed in unmanaged lowland forest and highest abundance in plantations with irregular undergrowth management. Low diversity was typical of non-fruiting monocultures. In plantations, both diversity and abundance were affected by herb layer removal, with sites subject to regular cutting, displaying lower levels. Significant differences in diversity and species richness were only detected between early and late successional sites, with the former showing higher values. Two basic small-mammal community groups were determined; (1) those inhabiting sites with a thick herb undergrowth and an open tree canopy (plantation) and (2) those inhabiting stands with sparse or no herb layer and a closed canopy (high forest). Forest stands support long-term populations of dominant small forest-dwelling mammal species and, as such, serve as reservoirs, even in rural landscapes dominated by intensive arable farming. Managed early succession lowland forests represent important refuges for a number of small open-habitat mammals negatively affected by intensive farming.     

Estimates of stem wood increments in forest resources: comparison of different approaches in forest inventory: consequences for international reporting: case studyof European forests

Key message

Quality and reliability of forest resource assessments depend on the ability of national forest inventories (NFIs) to supply necessary and high-quality data. Over the last decades and especially since the 1990s, the NFIs in European countries have been rapidly developing. Possibilities for obtaining reliable and accurate data on annual increment from different inventory types were evaluated, and sample-based inventories have been found to be superior to standwise inventories in providing reliable data. Simplified methods may be employed when increment cannot be directly estimated from inventory data.

Context

An increasing intensity of forest resource use requires more accurate, detailed and reliable information, not only on forest area and growing stock but also on forest stand productivity, wood increment and its components.

Aims

The main objectives were to assess the capacities of forest inventories, the methods used for estimation of gross increment and its components and their accuracy and to demonstrate an effective method for estimation of increment when direct inventory methods are not available.

Methods

Data about national forest inventory methods were obtained from 30 responses to a questionnaire, distributed amongst national correspondents of all European countries; reports of COST Actions E43 and FP 1001, databases of Temperate and Boreal Forest Resource Assessment (TBFRA) 2000 and State of Europe’s Forests (SoEF) 2011 were used as well. Analysis and comparison of results from different forest inventories were used for evaluation of data reliability. Relationships between growing stock and gross increment in European forests were also analysed, and corresponding models were proposed.

Results

Seventy-nine percent of European forest area is covered by national forest inventories (NFIs) based on sampling methods and the rest on stand-level inventory and other inventory methods. Data obtained by aggregating standwise data usually underestimate growing stock by 15–20 % and gross increment even more. Almost half of the European forest area (47 %) is monitored using permanent plots, measured twice or more, allowing the estimation of gross increment and its components to be made directly.

Conclusion

Implementation of NFIs based on sampling methods, especially with permanent plots, resulted in an improvement of data quality and in most cases an increase of growing stock and gross increment. The estimation of natural losses is the weakest link in today’s NFIs and in the current assessment of European forest resources. The proposed default values for gross increment and its components is an option to be used in countries not having NFI at all or those which have started it only recently.

     

Antibacterial activity of seed proteins of Robinia pseudoacacia

A low molecular weight cationic peptide was isolated from Robinia pseudoacacia seed and tested in vitro against seven bacteria (Corynebacterium michiganense, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, Pseudomonas syringae pv syringae, Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris, and Escherichia coli). The peptide inhibited the growth of the tested strains. The effective concentrations required for 50% inhibition of bacterial growth ranged between 20 and 120 microg ml(-1) protein. S. aureus was found to be the most sensitive strain, however, E. coli was not affected much when compared with others. Reduction of antibacterial activity of the peptide with CaCl2 addition into the growth medium was also observed.     

大豆GmFTL3和GmFTL5启动子的组织特异性表达分析

大豆（Glycine max (L.) Merr.）GmFTL3和GmFTL5基因具有很高的序列相似性,均参与大豆开花调节,但表达模式并不相同,本研究以启动子为突破口,分析这两个基因之间的表达差异。从大豆品种天隆1号中克隆GmFTL3和GmFTL5的启动子,构建载体pGmFTL3pro::GUS和pGmFTL5pro::GUS,转化拟南芥进行GUS染色分析。结果显示：无论长日条件还是短日条件,苗期和花器官中GmFTL3启动子均不驱动GUS基因在拟南芥中表达,而GmFTL5启动子则驱动GUS基因在拟南芥中表达,且在苗期的不同阶段呈现组织表达特异性。在花器官中,GmFTL5启动子驱动GUS基因主要在花萼、花瓣、花药和花粉粒中表达。实时定量结果显示,在大豆中,GmFTL3和GmFTL5基因均有表达。综上所述,大豆GmFTL3启动子在大豆中有活性但在拟南芥中无活性;GmFTL5启动子在大豆和拟南芥中均有活性,但表达可能存在差异; GmFTL5启动子在花器官中表达可能暗示GmFTL5基因与花器官发育有关。     

酒用糯高粱资源成株期抗旱性鉴定及抗旱指标筛选

【目的】干旱是影响酒用糯高粱生产的主要因素之一,鉴定酒用糯高粱资源成株期的抗旱性,筛选抗旱指标,培育抗旱品种,对高粱产业的发展具有重要意义。【方法】以50份酒用糯高粱资源为材料,于2015年和2016年设置正常灌水和干旱胁迫2个处理在旱棚内进行田间试验,测定株高、穗长、茎粗、分蘖数、穗粒数、千粒重、单株粒重和产量,采用抗旱性度量值(D值)、综合抗旱系数(CDC值)、加权抗旱系数(WDC)、相关分析、频次分析、主成分分析、灰色关联度分析、隶属函数分析、聚类分析和逐步回归分析相结合的方法,对其进行成株期抗旱性鉴定及抗旱指标筛选。【结果】干旱胁迫对各指标均有极显著影响。相关分析表明,产量与分蘖数、穗粒数和单株粒重呈极显著正相关,与穗长、茎粗和千粒重呈显著正相关,与株高呈不显著的正相关。频次分析表明,各指标对干旱胁迫反应的敏感程度依次为产量、穗粒数、分蘖数、单株粒重、千粒重、茎粗、穗长和株高。主成分分析表明,5个主成分可代表酒用糯高粱抗旱性84.26%的原始数据信息量。基于D值、CDC值和WDC值的供试酒用糯高粱材料抗旱性排序相近。灰色关联度分析表明,各指标DC值与D值间的关联度大小依次为产量、分蘖数、穗粒数、单株粒重、千粒重、穗长、茎粗和株高,这与各指标DC值与WDC值的密切程度基本吻合。根据D值进行聚类分析,可将供试酒用糯高粱材料划分为5个抗旱级别,其中Ⅰ级2份、Ⅱ级16份、Ⅲ级28份、Ⅳ级2份、Ⅴ级2份。除茎粗和分蘖数外,其余指标的隶属函数值、CDC值、D值和WDC值均随抗旱级别的升高而增大。逐步回归分析表明,与D值密切相关的指标有分蘖数、穗粒数和单株粒重。【结论】干旱胁迫对酒用糯高粱资源成株期各指标均有极显著影响。确定了D值为适宜的抗旱性鉴定方法。筛选出成株期抗旱性强的酒用糯高粱材料分别为粱丰141-3和粱丰247-3,可为酒用糯高粱抗旱育种、抗旱机理及干旱调控缓解机制的研究提供基础材料。分蘖数、穗粒数和单株粒重可作为酒用糯高粱资源成株期简单、直观的抗旱性评价指标。