Occurrence of Grapevine Pinot gris virus in Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy): field monitoring and virus quantification by real‐time RT‐PCR

Since 2003 the presence of a new syndrome characterized by symptoms of stunting, chlorotic mottling, leaf deformation, reduced yields and quality has been reported in some white berry varieties of Vitis vinifera in Trentino‐Alto Adige and Friuli Venezia Giulia vineyards. The identification of a new virus, provisionally called Grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV), in a cv. Pinot gris vine suggested an association between this new syndrome and the virus presence (Giampetruzzi et al., 2012), however the contemporary presence of GPGV in both symptomatic and asymptomatic plants has still to be explained. In this work, a large‐scale monitoring over a 3‐year period (2012–14) of Friuli Venezia Giulia vineyards and nurseries has shown a widespread presence of GPGV in symptomatic plants and also in asymptomatic vines, even if at a slightly lower percentage. Quantitative analyses of the virus titer revealed a great variability in the viral content of both symptomatic and asymptomatic plants but the mean GPGV quantity in symptomatic vines was significantly higher than in asymptomatic plants.     

Phase chemistry, structure, and radiation effects in lunar samples

Phase chemistry, structure, and radiation effects were studied in rock, breccia, and soil samples. The regolith apparently developed in the final stages of accretion and was modified by later impact processes and radiation weathering. Exposure ages indicate transfer of buried igneous rock fragments to the near surface late in lunar history. With a few exceptions igneous rock fragments, soil, and breccia share the same distinctive chemistry, probably acquired before accretion of the moon. The igneous rocks texturally resemble basaltic achondrites, and the soil and breccias contain glassy spheres analogous to chondrules.     

土地利用方式及土壤特性对土壤调节雨水效率的影响研究

One of the most important functions of soils is to regulate rainwater and mitigate flooding and associated damages; this function can be estimated by the rainwater regulation ratio （η）, i.e., percent of regulated rainwater. Fifteen experimental plots were set up on the hills in Yingtan of Jiangxi Province, southern China. These plots were under three land use patterns, cultivated cropland, noncultivated land, and orchard interplanted with cash crops. With aid of an artificial rainfall simulator and Guelph method, rainfall, runoff, soil infiltration, and so on were measured in situ. Results showed that the orchard interplanted with cash crops was more effective in regulating rainwater than the other two land use patterns. When the maximum infiltration intensity was three times higher than the observed mean,η was higher than 70% for all plots. 77 was related to land use, slope gradient, and soil properties such as soil infiltration, organic carbon, bulk density, and texture. There is still more room to improve capacity of rainwater drainage （underground percolation） than that of rainwater storage in soils. Therefore, enhancing soil permeability is vital to improve the rainwater regulation efficiency in soils.     

Preparation on the basis of Trichoderma asperellum in the system of biological protection of wheat from Fusarium ear scab

During the last century, as the area of wheat grown under advanced grain husbandry has increased worldwide, so too has the importance of Fusarium ear scab (FES) (synonym, Fusarium head blight) caused by several species of the fungus Fusarium. Yield losses due to FES can total 20%-40% and more depending on climatic conditions. During the last twenty years epidemics of FES in cereals have become chronic all over the world, including the United States and Russia. The most destructive of t…     

Improved techniques for the induction and isolation of polyploids in the genus Fragaria

Summary The sensitivity of Fragaria seedlings to colchicine is dependent on the plant organ that is treated. Complete immersion of seedlings in a 1.5% colchicine solution results in total lethality, whereas the survival rates were more than 75% even at concentrations of 3.0% when only shoot apices were treated. High proportions of polyploids were isolated by treating shoot apices of seedlings with a 2.0% colchicine solution for 24–28 h. The dropper method is preferred to the tube method as it involves a minimum of manipulation and requires simple equipment. A differential response to colchicine was observed within and between different diploid species, diploid and tetraploid hybrids.     

Inheritance of leaf angle in Triticum aestivum L.

Summary A 6×6 diallel was prepared to study the inheritance of leaf angle in T. aestivum L. Genetic analysis in terms of diallel cross parameters and graphic analysis indicated the control of additive gene effects in the expression of this character. The results of F₁ analysis were supported by the analysis of F₂ data.     

Chemically induced sterility in wheat for hybrid seed production

Summary The gametocidal effects of RH-531, RH-532, and RH-2956 were studied with three rates and times of foliar application on two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties, Anza and Yecora 70. RH-531 and RH-532 applied at or before booting stage caused rather large reduction in plant height while RH-2956 had a small effect on height. Application of any of the three chemicals on Anza at meiotic stages reduced self-pollination (SP) fertility by 97–99%. If 90% SP fertility reduction is acceptable, the application time could vary from premeiosis to postmeiosis for Anza. Yecora 70 was less sensitive than Anza to gametocide treatments. The lowest SP fertility obtained in Yecora 70 with RH-531, RH-532, and RH-2956 was by treatment at booting (4 kg/ha), at premeiosis (2 kg/ha), and heading (8 kg/ha), and the corresponding SP fertility reductions were 74, 89, and 71%. Pollen stainability-determined by aceto-carmine, IKI, and Alexander's stains-was not affected by gametocide treatment and was not useful in evaluating sterility induced by these chemicals. For the RH-531-treated Anza and Yecora 70 and the RH-532-treated Anza, more than 94% of the seeds produced by open-pollination on treated plants were from self-or sib-pollination as determined by progeny testing. However, RH-532-treated Yecora 70 and RH-2956-treated Anza and Yecora 70 did result in more crossed seeds, with a maximum of 20% outcrossing. It was believed that spike compactness induced by the chemicals and the related poor flower opening were the major limitations for outcrossing. Artificial pollinations made to the test varieties showed that RH-531 induced both male and female sterility and was undesirable for practical use. RH-532, however, could be applied at the booting stage to avoid severe female sterility, and RH-2956 clearly was the best of the three chemicals, with the female fertility very close to those of the untreated checks of both Anza and Yecora 70. Of the three chemicals, RH-2956 gave the highest percentage of hybrid plants in the progeny of hand-or open-pollinated spikes. Its practical use for hybrid seed production, however, will depend largely on improvement of methods to increase cross pollination in wheat.     

Variation in pigment content of flour color in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Summary Variation in pigment content of the flour of bread wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied in the progenies of F₁ and F₂ of three crosses and their reciprocals. Reciprocal differences in pigment content were observed in the F₁ and F₂ means. Low pigment content was found to be partially dominant or over dominant in the crosses studied. There was evidence of substantial mid-parent F₁ heterosis in all crosses and betterparent F₁ heterosis in three crosses. In the F₂, heritability estimates were moderate to high. The F₂ frequency distributions were not normal. Estimation of effective factor pairs indicated the presence of one or two major gene pairs involved in the expression of pigment content in the flour. Action of modifiers was also assumed in one cross and its reciprocal. A factorial approach to metrical character suggested that the F₂ segregation ratios of low pigment content to high pigment content were 3:1, 15:1, 13:3 and 9:7 for the different crosses. Utilization of the findings in a wheat breeding program is briefly discussed.     

Inheritance of scent in rice

Summary Inheritance of scent in rice and its association with pigmented characters were studied in T-141 × K-44-1. Four complementary genes appeared to control scent, one of them showing linkage with a complementary gene for glume colour and a supplementary gene for red pigment in apiculus. This group formed part of V (Prp)linkage group of Misro et al. (1966) in which case Pg and P were additions.Pl.480 Project on linkage maps in rice.     

Seedling emergence,coleoptile length,and plant height relationships in crosses of dwarf and standard-height wheats

Summary Seedling emergence was closely correlated with coleoptile length and plant height among parents, F₂ and F₃, populations of crosses involving dwarf wheats Olesen Dwarf (CI 14497), Norin 10 derivative D6301, Tom Thumb derivative D6899, and the standard-height varieties Ramona 50 and Nainari 60. Genetic mechanisms that governed plant height also influenced coleoptile length, but the relative effects of genes showing dominant or epistatic effects appeared to be different. With respect to the two parents involved in each of 15 crosses, mean F₂ coleoptile lengths were consistently closer to the low parent value than were corresponding mean F₂ plant heights. A slight curvilinear relationship was also found between coleoptile length and plant height of F₃ lines. The results suggest that selection of semidwarf wheats with long coleoptiles and improved emergence properties from crosses involving the dwarf wheats of this study would be unlikely.