Nectar secretion in winter oilseed rape, Brassica napus— quantitative and qualitative variability among 71 genotypes

The genotypic variability in nectar secretion among 71 genotypes of winter oilseed rapes was tested for floral nectar volume, sugar composition and concentration. Differences were found between seed quality genotypes: double low [99] oilseed rape varieties tended to secrete much more nectar than single low [0 +] and double high [++] varieties. Male-sterile lines (Ogura CMS) secreted one-half to one-third the amount of their isogenic male-fertile counterparts. Restored lines behaved as conventional rape varieties. On average, amounts of nectar were 2 μl/flower and ranged from 0.7 to 6 μl/flower. Among the genotypes under test, the male-sterile lines were not the least productive. The analysis of (Samourai) winter oilseed rape showed that total sugar concentrations in nectar were highest at the beginning of the flowering period (30g/100 ml) and lowest towards the end (10g/100 ml). At a given date, total sugar contents in nectar of [0 +] varieties were significantly higher than those of [++] varieties and were due to higher fructose contents. Differences between genotypes within the same type also occurred, depending on the day of sampling. Oilseed rape nectar was confirmed to be predominantly composed of hexose (glucose and fructose). From the results of these investigations, it is concluded that the opportunity exists to select oilseed rape genotypes, including male-sterile lines, that secrete sufficient amounts of nectar to attract honey-bees to ensure pollination of male-sterile lines for hybrid seed production.     

Is somaclonal variation a reliable tool for spring wheat improvement?

Summary Seed progeny of tissue culture regenerants of a spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. HY320) was evaluated for key agronomic traits for three years under field conditions. Initially, 27 regenerant families were tested in hill plots. Among-family and within-family variation was generally highly significant (p < 0.01) and nonsignificant, respectively. The variation observed among regenerants on the basis of hill plot testing was not duplicated in subsequent four-row plot experiments. On average, regenerant families yielded 28 and 5% less than the control in dryland and irrigated tests, respectively. Low yielding regenerants tended to produce fewer, lighter kernels per spike. Higher grain protein levels among regenerants were associated with low yields (r=0.85). This study demonstrated that putative somaclonal variation arising from tissue culture failed to produce genotypes agronomically superior to the parental cultivar, HY 320.NRCC Publication No. 33533     

普通小麦白粉病成株抗性的QTL分析

以抗白粉病的日本小麦品种Fukuho-komugi和以色列小麦Oligoculm杂交F₁的DH（doubled haploid）群体107个系为材料，利用313个SSR标记和37个RFLP标记，对Fukuho-komugi和Oligoculm的白粉病成株抗性进行QTL分析。试验材料于2003－2004年度种植在北京、2003－2004和2004－2005年度种植在安阳，调查白粉病发病情况。构建了由350个位点组成的遗传连锁图，覆盖小麦21个连锁群，全长3 101 cM。采用复合区间作图法进行白粉病成株抗性QTL分析，在1A、2B、4B和7D上发现4个抗白粉病QTL，分别解释13.6%、6.6%、8.9%和12.7%的表型变异。抗白粉病基因及其紧密连锁分子标记的发掘，将为小麦抗白粉病育种的分子标记辅助选择提供理论和技术支持。     

Insect growth regulators as potential insecticides to control olive fruit fly (Bactrocera oleae Rossi): insect toxicity bioassays and molecular docking approach

BACKGROUND: Olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Rossi), is a key pest in olive orchards, causing serious economic damage. To date, the pest has already developed resistance to the insecticides commonly applied to control it. Thus, in searching for new products for an accurate resistance management programme, targeting the ecdysone receptor (EcR) might provide alternative compounds for use in such programmes. RESULTS: Residual contact and oral exposure in the laboratory of B. oleae adults to the dibenzoylhydrazine‐based compounds methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide and RH‐5849 showed different results. Methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide did not provoke any negative effects on the adults, but RH‐5849 killed 98‐100% of the treated insects 15 days after treatment. The ligand‐binding domain (LBD) of the EcR of B. oleae (BoEcR‐LBD) was sequenced, and a homology protein model was constructed. Owing to a restricted extent of the ligand‐binding cavity of the BoEcR‐LBD, docking experiments with the three tested insecticides showed a severe steric clash in the case of methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide, while this was not the case with RH‐5849. CONCLUSION: IGR molecules similar to the RH‐5849 molecule, and different from methoxyfenozide and tebufenozide, might have potential in controlling this pest. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Fungicide resistance status in French populations of the wheat eyespot fungi Oculimacula acuformis and Oculimacula yallundae

Eyespot, caused by Oculimacula acuformis and Oculimacula yallundae, is the major foot disease of winter wheat in several European countries, including France. It can be controlled by chemical treatment between tillering and the second node stage. The fungicides used include antimicrotubule toxicants (benzimidazoles), inhibitors of sterol 14α‐demethylation (DMIs) or of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHIs), the anilinopyrimidines cyprodinil and the benzophenone metrafenone. Since the early 1980s, a long‐term survey has been set up in France to monitor changes in the sensitivity of eyespot populations to fungicides. Resistance to benzimidazoles has become generalised since the early 1990s, in spite of the withdrawal of this class of fungicides. In the DMI group, resistance to triazoles is generalised, whereas no resistance to the triazolinethione prothioconazole has yet developed. Resistance to the imidazole prochloraz evolved successively in O. acuformis and O. yallundae and is now well established. Specific resistance to cyprodinil has also been detected, but its frequency has generally remained low. Finally, since the early 2000s, a few strains of O. yallundae displaying multidrug resistance (MDR) have been detected. These strains display low levels of resistance to prothioconazole and SDHIs, such as boscalid. Knowledge of the spatiotemporal distribution in France of O. acuformis and O. yallundae field strains resistant to fungicides allows resistance management strategies for eyespot fungi in winter wheat to be proposed.© 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Activity of fungicides and modulators of membrane drug transporters in field strains of Botrytis cinerea displaying multidrug resistance

In Botrytis cinerea, multidrug resistant (MDR) strains collected in French and German vineyards were tested in vitro, at the germ-tube elongation stage, towards a wide range of fungicides. Whatever the MDR phenotype, resistance was recorded to anilinopyrimidines, diethofencarb, iprodione, fludioxonil, tolnaftate and several respiratory inhibitors (e.g., penthiopyrad, pyraclostrobin). In MDR1 strains, overproducing the ABC transporter BcatrB, resistance extended to carbendazim and the uncouplers fluazinam and malonoben. In MDR2 strains, overproducing the MFS transporter BcmfsM2, resistance extended to cycloheximide, fenhexamid and sterol 14α-demethylation inhibitors (DMIs). MDR3 strains combined the overexpression of both transporters and exhibited the widest spectrum of cross resistance and the highest resistance levels. The four transport modulators, amitriptyline, chlorpromazine, diethylstilbestrol, and verapamil, known to affect some ABC transporters, were tested in B. cinerea. In our experimental conditions, the activity of several fungicides was only enhanced by verapamil. Interestingly, synergism was only recorded in MDR2 and/or MDR3 isolates treated with tolnaftate, fenhexamid, fludioxonil or pyrimethanil, suggesting that verapamil may inhibit the MFS transporter BcmfsM2. This is the first report indicating that a known modulator of ABC transporters could also block MFS transporters.     

Spatial road disturbance index (SPROADI) for conservation planning: a novel landscape index, demonstrated for the State of Brandenburg, Germany

The expansion of roads, and the subsequent changes to the surrounding landscape not only lead to landscape fragmentation but also have been shown to be a key driver of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Local declines of species abundance as well as changes in animal behaviour have drawn attention to wider ecosystem effects including altered species composition and a degradation of ecosystem functioning. However, methods for measuring and quantifying the distribution and environmental impacts of roads are not yet fully developed. We present a new technique for assessing the potential impacts of roads on biodiversity using a spatial road disturbance index (SPROADI). The index is calculated from three sub-indices: traffic intensity as a measure of traffic volume per time and space; vicinity impact, which is the assessment of edge effect of roads on adjacent habitats (the road-effect zone); and fragmentation grade, which provides an indication of the degree to which the landscape is intersected by roads. SPROADI was then tested using data from the Federal State of Brandenburg in north-eastern Germany. A sensitivity analysis was carried out on the results to assess the robustness of the index. The findings revealed expected patterns of high road disturbance in urban and peri-urban landscapes surrounding Berlin. Less obvious were the high levels of road density and impacts in forest plantations across the southern region of Brandenburg, and low levels of road disturbance in agricultural crop lands of the north-western region. Results were variable for areas under some form of protection. The only national park displayed substantially lower SPROADI values in contrast to the surrounding non-protected areas whilst other protected area categories, which were landscape conservation areas and nature parks, revealed SPROADI values that were equally high as those for non-protected areas. The results of this study demonstrate the strengths and potential applications of SPROADI as a quantitative means for identifying low-traffic areas in the context of conservation and sustainable transport planning.     

Activated Sludge Acclimation for Hydrophobic VOC Removal in a Two-Phase Partitioning Reactor

The effect of activated sludge acclimation on the biodegradation of toluene and dimethyldisulphide (DMDS) in the presence of a non-aqueous phase liquid, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor was characterized. The influence of the presence of PDMS, at a ratio of 25% (v/v), and acclimation of activated sludge on two hydrophobic VOC biodegradation was studied. Activated sludge were acclimated to each VOC and in the presence of the non-aqueous phase liquid, namely in the emulsion of PDMS in water. Using acclimated cells, 97.9% and 108.7% improvement of the mean biodegradation rates were recorded for toluene and DMDS, respectively, if compared to the values recorded in the absence of acclimation. While and in agreement with the lower solubility in water of DMDS if compared to toluene, a most significant effect of PDMS addition on the rate of DMDS removal was recorded, 87.0% and 153.6% for toluene and DMDS, respectively. In addition and if both biomass acclimation and PDMS addition were considered, overall improvements of the removal rates were 204% and 338% for toluene and DMDS.     

Investigating Wild Berries as a Dietary Approach to Reducing the Formation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts: Chemical Correlates of In Vitro Antiglycation Activity

Evidence supports the health promoting benefits of berries, particularly with regard to the prevention and management of chronic diseases such cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. Two related pathophysiological features common to many of these conditions are oxidative stress and the accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). Whereas antioxidant properties are well-established in several species of berries and are believed central to their protective mechanisms, few studies have investigated the effects of berries on AGE formation. Here, employing a series of complementary in vitro assays, we evaluated a collection of wild berry extracts for 1) inhibitory effects on fluorescent-AGE and Nε- (carboxymethyl)lysine-albumin adduct formation, 2) radical scavenging activity and 3) total phenolic and anthocyanin content. All samples reduced AGE formation in a concentration-dependent manner that correlated positively with each extract’s total phenolic content and, to a lesser degree, total anthocyanin content. Inhibition of AGE formation was similarly related to radical scavenging activities. Adding antiglycation activity to the list of established functional properties ascribed to berries and their phenolic metabolites, our data provide further insight into the active compounds and protective mechanisms through which berry consumption may aid in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases associated with AGE accumulation and toxicity. As widely available, safe and nutritious foods, berries represent a promising dietary intervention worthy of further investigation.