Influence of variety on the within-plant distribution of cassava green spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae), and leaf anatomical characteristics and chemical components in relation to varietal resistance

The within-plant distribution of the cassava green spider mite, Mononychellus tanajoa Bondar, and the anatomical characteristics and the chemical components relating to varietal resistance of cassava, were studied using 11 cassava genotypes with varying levels of resistance for two dry seasons and one wet season. The results show that M. tanajoa aggregates on the top leaves of cassava at low levels of resistance as compared with a more even within-plant distribution at higher levels of resistance. Thus, for accurate sampling of mite populations, it might be important to consider young and old leaves, not just the young leaves, in fields containing resistant and susceptible cassava genotypes. Correlations between the anatomical characteristics and mite population density and damage scores were not consistent across months, either within or over seasons. This suggests that leaf anatomical characteristics may not be important in the varietal resistance of cassava to M. tanajoa. During the dry season, mite population density was positively correlated with leaf nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus and negatively correlated with leaf calcium and fat. Only calcium was negatively associated with mite damage at the peak of the dry season (January 1993 and 1994). Breeding cassava genotypes with high levels of leaf calcium and fat, and low levels of leaf nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, may improve the level of resistance to M. tanajoa.     

Factors affecting the variability in cracked and dirty eggs and egg production profitability on an integrated poultry operation

1. A number of factors causing variability in the percentages of cracked, and dirty eggs and weekly standard margin (WSM) of returns from eggs over production costs were examined on an integrated commercial poultry plant in Scotland.

2. As the bird aged, the percentage of cracked eggs increased (P <0.01) and the percentage of grade A eggs and WSM decreased (P <0.01). Cracks in dirty eggs (10.1%) were more than double those in all eggs laid (4.9%).

3. Seasonal effects on percentage cracked eggs and percentage grade A eggs were one‐third the magnitude of those due to age but were significant (P <0.05).

4. Variability in percentage cracked eggs, dirty eggs and WSM accounted for by the factors measured, were 72, 64 and 92% respectively.

5. The variability in WSM was significantly affected by percentage lay, food consumption and age but not by percentage cracked eggs, originally dirty and grade A eggs.

6. Flock management and climate inside the laying house each increased the amount of variability accounted for in the percentage cracked eggs and dirty eggs by at least 10%.     

Carbon flux and growth in mature deciduous forest trees exposed to elevated CO2

Whether rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will cause forests to grow faster and store more carbon is an open question. Using free air CO2 release in combination with a canopy crane, we found an immediate and sustained enhancement of carbon flux through 35-meter-tall temperate forest trees when exposed to elevated CO2. However, there was no overall stimulation in stem growth and leaf litter production after 4 years. Photosynthetic capacity was not reduced, leaf chemistry changes were minor, and tree species differed in their responses. Although growing vigorously, these trees did not accrete more biomass carbon in stems in response to elevated CO2, thus challenging projections of growth responses derived from tests with smaller trees.     

Assessment of salt tolerance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aegilops</Emphasis> L. from the VIR collection

The effect of high NaCl concentrations on accumulation of biomass and change in content of sodium and potassium ions in 17 accessions of nine species of Aegilops L. is studied. Three salt-tolerant accessions (Ae. tauschii k-677 and 674 and Ae. cylindrica k-676) containing the D genome and having a high K/Na ratio are identified.     

The origin,evolution, cultivation,dissemination, and diversification of Asian and African rices

Summary Available evidences drawn from biosystematics, evolutionary biology, biogeography, archaeology, history, anthropology, paleo-geology and paleo-meteorology are pooled to reconstruct the series of events that led to the cosmopolitan cultivation of the Asian cultivated rice (O. sativa) and the regionalized planting of the African cultigen (O. glaberrima) in West Africa. The genus Oryza originated in the Gondwanaland continents and, following the fracture of the supercontinent, became widely distributed in the humid tropics of Africa, South America, South and Southeast Asia, and Oceania. The two cultivated species have had a common progenitor in the distant past. Parallel and independent evolutionary processes occurred in Africa and in Asia, following the sequence of: wild perennialwild annualcultivated annual. The weed races also contributed to the differentiation of the cultivated annuals. The corresponding members of the above series are O. longistaminata Chev. et Roehr., O. barthii A. Chev., O. glaberrima Steud., and the stapfii forms of O. glaberrima in Africa; O. rufipogon Griff., O. nivara Sharma et Shastry, O. sativa L., and the spontanea forms of O. sativa in Asia.The differentiation and diversification of the annuals in South Asia were accelerated by marked climatic changes following the last glacial age, dispersal of plants over latitude or altitude, human selection, and manipulation of the cultural environment.Cultivation of rice began in many parts of South and Southeast Asia, probably first in Ancient India. Cultural techniques such as puddling and transplanting were first developed in north and central China and later transmitted to Southeast Asia. Wetland culture preceded dryland culture in China, but in hilly areas of Southeast Asia, dryland cultivation is older than lowland culture. The planting method progressed from shifting cultivation to direct sowing in permanent fields, then to transplanting in bunded fields.Widespread dispersal of the Asian cultigen led to the formation of three eco-geographic races (Indica. Sinica or Japonica, and Javanica) and distinct cultural types in monsoon Asia (upland, lowland, and deep water). Varietal types changed readily within the span of a millenium, largely due to cultivators' preferences, socio-religious traditions, and population pressure. Genetic differentiation developed parallel to the ecologic diversification process.The African cultigen developed later than the Asian cultigen and has undergone less diversification. The wild races in South America and Oceania retain their primitive features mainly due to lack of cultivation pressure or dispersal.Both the African and Asian rices are still undergoing evolutionary changes at habitats where the wild, weed, and cultivated races co-exist.     

Hybrid grass-clump dwarfness in wheat: Physiology and genetics

Summary The growth of all grass-clump dwarfs is sensitive to temperature with low temperature giving rise to the grass-clump phenotype and high temperature producing normal phenotype. A continuous temperature of 26°C is required for normal growth of Type 1 dwarfs, a continuous temperature of 21°C is required for normal growth of Ty[e 2 dwarfs and a continuous temperature of 16°C is required for normal growth of Type 3 dwarfs.Genetic studies show that the inheritance of the grass-clump characteristic is due to three complementary dominant genes.The grass-clump growth habit is produced as a result of the temperature sensitivity of the apical meristem. In grass-clump plants low temperature treatment results in the cessation of cell division, DNA synthesis and phospholipid synthesis in the apical meristem. The primary temperature lesion has not been identified. Prolonged low temperature treatment of grass-clump plants results in extensive cell necrosis in a region just below the apical meristem; this cell death results in the permanent inactivation of the apical meristem.Supported in part by the National Research Council of Canada.     

秋水仙素诱导美洲商陆四倍体的研究

利用改良L.D.Cua法对美洲商陆进行多倍体诱变,在秋水仙碱浓度为0.2%条件下,设置24h、48h和72h三个诱变时间,并对所得到的变异株和对照株进行形态学、细胞学等方面的比较研究,结果表明：诱变48h效果最好;与对照相比,变异株的叶片厚度增加43.75%;叶形指数减少37.95%;气孔纵横径分别增加52.94%和73.01%;保卫细胞内叶绿体数目增加20.91%;花直径增加22.96%;花粉粒直径增加22.47%;果实直径增加23.66%。对变异株进行花粉母细胞减数分裂染色体鉴定,小孢子细胞的染色体数为n=2x=36,而对照小孢子细胞的染色体数为n=x=18,证明变异株为四倍体。     

Effects of leaf age and tree size on stomatal and mesophyll limitations to photosynthesis in mountain beech (Nothofagus solandrii var. cliffortiodes)

Mesophyll conductance, g(m), was estimated from measurements of stomatal conductance to carbon dioxide transfer, g(s), photosynthesis, A, and chlorophyll fluorescence for Year 0 (current-year) and Year 1 (1-year-old) fully sunlit leaves from short (2 m tall, 10-year-old) and tall (15 m tall, 120-year-old) Nothofagus solandrii var. cliffortiodes trees growing in adjacent stands. Rates of photosynthesis at saturating irradiance and ambient CO(2) partial pressure, A(satQ), were 25% lower and maximum rates of carboxylation, V(cmax), were 44% lower in Year 1 leaves compared with Year 0 leaves across both tree sizes. Although g(s) and g(m) were not significantly different between Year 0 and Year 1 leaves and g(s) was not significantly different between tree heights, g(m) was significantly (19%) lower for leaves on tall trees compared with leaves on short trees. Overall, V(cmax) was 60% higher when expressed on the basis of CO(2) partial pressure at the chloroplasts, C(c), compared with V(cmax) on the basis of intercellular CO(2) partial pressure, C(i), but this varied with leaf age and tree size. To interpret the relative stomatal and mesophyll limitations to photosynthesis, we used a model of carbon isotopic composition for whole leaves incorporating g(m) effects to generate a surface of 'operating values' of A over the growing season for all leaf classes. Our analysis showed that A was slightly higher for leaves on short compared with tall trees, but lower g(m) apparently reduced actual A substantially compared with A(satQ). Our findings showed that lower rates of photosynthesis in Year 1 leaves compared with Year 0 leaves were attributable more to increased biochemical limitation to photosynthesis in Year 1 leaves than differences in g(m). However, lower A in leaves on tall trees compared with those on short trees could be attributed in part to lower g(m) and higher stomatal, L(s), and mesophyll, L(m), limitations to photosynthesis, consistent with steeper hydraulic gradients in tall trees.     

金属洗桶企业场地污染调查与分析实例

以某金属洗桶企业搬离时,对场地开展的污染调查与分析为实例,探讨了污染场地健康风险评估的方法和进行风险管控的手段,以期提供参考。