Pre-emergence herbicides for the control of broomrape (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) in sunflower (Helianthus annus L.)

Field experiments were conducted from 1989 to 1992 to determine the effects of pre-emergence herbicides in sunflower (Helianthus armuus L.) on: (1) the control of Orobanche cemua Loefl. (broomrape) and (2) crop damage and crop yield. Herbicides tested belong to the imidazolinone, sulfonylurea and substituted amide families. Imazethapy r (20–40 g ha^?1), imazapy r (12.5–25 gha^?1) and chlorsulfuron (4–6 gha^?1) controlled broomrape efficiently without crop injury. With good O. cernua control and good crop tolerance, sunflower seed yield from these treatments were generally similar to the non-infested checks and higher than the infestedchecks. Imazaquin (20–40 gha^?1), triasulfuron(4gha^?1), pdmisulfuron(3g ha^?1), acetochlor (4–4 kg ha^?1) and metazachlor (2 kg ha^?1) were less effective. Imazamethabenz (200–600 g ha^?1) and metolachlor (3–3 kg ha^?1) were ineffective. Wetconditions aftercropsowing considerably decreased O. cemua control with pre-emergence herbicides probably caused by enhanced degrädation. Des herbicides de prelevee pour la lutte contre Vorobanche (Orobanche cemua Loefl.) dans le toumesol (Helianthus annuus L.) Des expérimentations au champ ont été conduites de 1989 á 1992 pour determiner les effets d'herbicides de pré1evée du toumesol sun (a) la destruction de l'orobanche (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) et (b) la phytotoxcité sur la culture. Les herbicides testés appartenaient aux imidazolinones, aux sulfonylurdes et aux amides substituées. L'imazethapyr (20 á 40 gha^?1), l'imazapyr (12,5 á25gha^?1)et le chlorsulfuron (4 á 6 gha^?1) détruisaient efficacement l'orobanche sans occasionner de phytotoxidt6 sur la culture. Dans ces conditions, les rendements étaient généralement semblables à ceux des témoins non infestés et supérieurs à ceux des témoins infestés. L'imazaquin (20 à 40 g ha^?1), le triasulfuron (4 gha^?1), le primisulfuron (3 g ha^?1), lacétolachlor (4,4 kg ha^?1) et le métazachlor (2 kg ha^?1) étaient moins efficaces. L'imazaméthabenz (200 á 600 g ha^?1) et le métolachlor (3,3 kg ha^?1) etaient inefficaces. Des conditions humides aprfes le semis diminuaient considérablement la destruction de O. cemua par les herbicides de prélevée, probablement à cause d'une dégradation plus élevée. Vorauflaufherbigide zur Bekdmpfung der Sommerwurz Orobanche cemua Loefl. in Sonnenblume (Helianthus annuus L.) Zwischen 1989 und 1992 wurden in Sonnenblume Feldversuche zur Wirkung von Vorauflaufherbiziden aus den Gruppen der Imidazolinone, Sulfonylharnstoffe und substitutierten Amide auf die Sommerwurz Orobanche cernua und auf Kulturpflanzenschaden sowie den Ertrag durchgefuhrt. Mit Imazethapyr (20 bis 40 g ha^?1), Imazapyr (12,5 bis 25 g ha^?1) und Chlorsulfuron (4 bis 6 g ha^?1) lieβ sich die Sommerwurz wirksam bekampfen, ohne daβ Schaden an der Sonnenblume auftraten, und die Ertrage waren allgemein ahnlich oder hoher als bei der nichtparasitierten Kontrolle. Imazaquin (20 bis 40 ha^?1), Triasulfuron (4 g ha^?1).Primisulfuron (3 g ha ^?1). Acetochlor (4,4 kg ha ^?1 und Metazachlor (2 kg ha ^?1) waren weniger wirksam. Imazamethabenz (200 bis 600 g ha^?1) und Metolachlor (3,3 kg ha^?1) hatten keine Wirkung. Bei Niederschlagen nach der Saat der Sonnenblume war die Bekampfung der Sommerwurz mit Vorauflaufherbiziden vermutlich wegen verstärkten Abbaus erheblich schwächer.     

Studies on the biology of black mould (Aspergillus niger) on temperate and tropical onions. 1. A comparison of sources of the disease in temperate and tropical field crops

Aspergillus niger colonies were present on 60–90% of the leaves sampled from onion crops grown under hot, tropical conditions (Shambat, Sudan), but only on 21% of leaves in crops grown under temperate conditions (Wellesbourne, UK). The seed stocks used in the Sudan were naturally contaminated with A. niger , whereas the fungus was absent from seed used in the UK. Inoculation of seed with A. niger resulted in an increase in the incidence of the fungus on onion plants (mean 83% of plants with affected leaves) in the field and on bulbs in store in crops grown in the UK. In the UK, A. niger is infrequent in the soil and air, but it is a major component of the soil and air mycoflora in the Sudan. Most of the bulbs grown in Sudan were contaminated with A. niger at harvest because of the high incidence of the fungus in the field.     

A garlic (Allium sativum) leaf blight caused by Stemphylium vesicarium in Brazil

The causal agent of a fohar disease of garlic ( Allium sutivum ) was identified as Stemphylium resicarium (Wallr) Simm Disease symptoms were reproduced on garlic leases 8 to 10 days after inoculation in a greenhouse (temperature range 22-26 C) Onion and tomato, two previously reported hosts of S, testcarnon. were also artificially infected with the isolate from garlic. This is believed to be the first report of S. testcarnom causing a severe leaf blight of garlic in the New World area.     

Accessions of Australian Nicotiana species suitable as indicator hosts in the diagnosis of plant virus diseases

When screening the genusNicotiana for sensitive and differential hosts for a group of mechanically transmissible plant viruses with narrow host ranges, development of systemic symptoms was alsmost exclusively observed in species of three closely related sections of the subgenusPetunioides. These species wereN. miersii (sectionAcuminatae),N. bigelovii andN. clevelandii (Bigelovianae) andN. benthamiana, N. cavicola, N. ingulba, N. occidentalis, N. rosulata andN. rotundifolia (Suaveolentes). Except forN. benthamiana andN. clevelandii, which are already known for their large virus ranges, they are new experimental hosts that appeared very useful for detection of viruses and for differentiation of viruses that closely resemble each other in host range. Accessions of the same species often varied largely in local and systemic viral response. EspeciallyN. benthamiana-9,N. miersii-33 andN. occidentalis-37B (code numbers given by Tobacco Research Laboratory, Oxford, N.C., USA) are recommended for routine inoculation tests. The sensitiveSuaveolentes species mentioned are native to the arid parts of Australia. Collections of these species deserve attention in studies on virus diseases of unknown etiology where experimental hosts are lacking.Samenvatting In het genusNicotiana werden vatbare, gevoelige en differentiële toetsplanten opgespoord door toetsing van vooral de collectie van het Tobacco Research Laboratory (Oxford, N.C., VS) met een aantal virussen waarvoor weinig of geen bruikbare toetsplanten bekend waren. Systemische reacties werden bijna uitsluitend in soorten van drie nauw verwante secties van het subgenusPetunioides waargenomen. Deze soorten warenN. miersii (sectieAcuminatae),N. bigelovii enN. clevelandii (Bigelovianae) enN. benthamiana, N. cavicola, N. ingulba, N. occidentalis, N. rosulata enN. rotundifolia (Suaveolentes). Behalve voor virusvermeerdering bleken deze soorten ook zeer geschikt te zijn voor differentiatie van virussen of virusstammen met een bijna gelijke waardplantenreeks.Collectienummers van één en dezelfde soort konden sterk in lokale en systemische reactie verschillen. VooralN. benthamiana-9,N. miersii-33 enN. occidentalis-37B kunnen voor routine-inoculaties worden aanbevolen. Met uitzondering vanN. benthamiana enN. clevelandii zijn de genoemde soorten of genotypen nieuwe experimentele waardplanten voor de virologie. De soorten die van de sectieSuaveolentes worden genoemd, zijn inheems in de woestijnachtige gebieden van Australië. Verzamelingen daarvan verdienen nadere aandacht bij de diagnostiek van virusziekten waarvoor nog geen experimentele waarplanten voorhanden zijn.     

Influence of the d2 factor on survival and infection by the Dutch elm disease pathogen Ophiostoma ulmi

A particular form of mycovirus, the d² factor, which attacks the elm pathogen Ophiostoma ulmi, was found to be extremely deleterious to this fungus both in vitro and in vivo. Most significantly, d²-infected conidia were poor at persisting in feeding grooves, the usual infection court of the pathogen, and also showed a 50-fold reduction in successful xylem infection compared with their healthy counterparts. In addition, transmission of the d² factor from diseased to healthy isolates of O. ulmi was found to take place in feeding grooves, indicating that the fungus exists in a mycelial phase prior to invading xylem vessels.     

Amphibians as indicators of early tertiary "out-of-India" dispersal of vertebrates

Sixty-five million years ago, massive volcanism produced on the India-Seychelles landmass the largest continental lava deposit (Deccan Traps) of the past 200 million years. Using a molecular clock-independent approach for inferring dating information from molecular phylogenies, we show that multiple lineages of frogs survived Deccan Traps volcanism after millions of years of isolation on drifting India. The collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates was followed by wide dispersal of several of these lineages. This "out-of-India" scenario reveals a zoogeographical pattern that might reconcile paleontological and molecular data in other vertebrate groups.     

Dynamics of the vocal imitation process: how a zebra finch learns its song

Song imitation in birds provides good material for studying the basic biology of vocal learning. Techniques were developed for inducing the rapid onset of song imitation in young zebra finches and for tracking trajectories of vocal change over a 7-week period until a match to a model song was achieved. Exposure to a model song induced the prompt generation of repeated structured sounds (prototypes) followed by a slow transition from repetitive to serial delivery of syllables. Tracking this transition revealed two phenomena: (i) Imitations of dissimilar sounds can emerge from successive renditions of the same prototype, and (ii) developmental trajectories for some sounds followed paths of increasing acoustic mismatch until an abrupt correction occurred by period doubling. These dynamics are likely to reflect underlying neural and articulatory constraints on the production and imitation of sounds.