Movement and Distribution of Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) Adults Under Different Temperature Differences in Different Lengths of Horizontal Grain Columns

Understanding insect movement and distribution is critical for developing an effective insect pest management protocol. Movement and distribution of adult Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) in response to nominal temperature differences of 5, 10, 15, and 20°C in 1- and 2-m horizontal columns filled with 12.5% moisture content wheat were studied in 24, 48, and 72 h of movement times. In the wheat columns without temperature differences, adults had a diffusion distribution pattern caused by their random movement. Adults showed bias movement to the warmer grain in wheat columns with temperature differences and preferred the warmer grain regardless of the magnitude of temperature differences in less than 24 h. Their distribution did not have significant differences among different movement times in 1- or 2-m columns. About 40% of adults moved to the warmer wheat located at 0.4 to 0.5 m in the 1 m column but did not move to the warmer wheat located at 0.9 to 1 m in the 2-m column. Therefore, length of grain column influenced detection of warmer grain by insects. Adults under different temperatures had a similar response as that under linear temperature gradients.     

A Severe Hellenic CMV Tomato Isolate: Symptom Variability in Tobacco, Characterization and Discrimination of Variants

A severe strain of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) originating from an infected tomato plant (Gastouni-Olympia, Greece) was isolated in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi nc), after three serial local lesion passages in Chenopodium quinoa and designated CMV-G. CMV-G induces yellow mosaic (YM) symptoms in tobacco. When CMV-G was passed mechanically through C. quinoa, phenotypic variants inducing YM or green mild mosaic (MM) in tobacco were isolated. Aphid transmission, from different hosts, appears to be an effective approach for separating MM variants of CMV-G from YM variants. In particular, aphid transmission from zucchini proved to be very efficient in selecting for MM variants. In contrast, aphids transmitted only YM variants from tomato plants. Molecular characterization of CMV-G and its progeny resulted in their classification in the CMV subgroup IB, free of satellite RNA, being the first discovery of the subgroup IB in Greece. In the Solanaceae family (tobacco, tomato, pepper) YM variants induced more severe symptoms than the MM variants. YM and MM phenotype was stable in tobacco for all seven passages tried using the obtained YM and MM variants. Cross-protection experiments showed that an isolated MM variant was able to protect tobacco plants against a challenge infection by a YM variant.     

Development of specific PCR primers for identification and detection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora capsici</Emphasis> Leon

A PCR-based method was developed for the identification and detection of Phytophthora capsici in pepper plants. Three PCR primers (CAPFW, CAPRV1 and CAPRV2) specific for P. capsiciwere designed based on the sequence of its internal transcribed spacer regions. CAPFW/CAPRV1 amplify a 452 bp product from P. capsici DNA whereas CAPFW/CAPRV2 a 595 bp fragment; neither set amplifies DNA from pepper or several fungi pathogenic to pepper. In conventional (single-round) PCR, the limit of detection was 5 pg DNA for both primer sets, whereas in nested PCR the detection limit for both was of 0.5 fg. However, when the dilution series of target DNA were spiked with plant DNA, amplification declined two-fold in both conventional and nested PCR. The CAPFW/CAPRV2 set in conventional PCR was used to detect P. capsici DNA in inoculated plants. Detection occurred as soon as 8h post-inoculation in stem samples from infected but still symptomless plants. The method was also tested to detect fungal DNA in infected soils.     

The establishment of Taraxacum officinale plants in grassland

Factors involved in the establishment of Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) seedlings in grasslands and plant mortality in the first growing season were studied during 2008–2011. The study was conducted at 11 grassland sites that differed in the quantity of seed rain and the intensity of seedling predation by slugs. In April, of each study year, 10 plots open to the sedimentation of naturally dispersed seeds were established at each site, five plots of which were also sown with 250 T. officinale seeds each. The amount of natural seed rain, slug feeding activity and number of plants in each plot were then recorded at monthly intervals. Seed rain and seedling predation accounted for c. 50% of the variation in seedling establishment. Populations of established seedlings then declined through October, at which point they were at 25% of the original abundance on average. The percentage of plants that survived varied among sites and years. The temporal and spatial variation in T. officinale establishment and survival of young plants was enormous, even within a small area. Predation of seedlings by slugs can effectively prevent the establishment of T. officinale in grassland. This only occurred, however, at slug abundances not acceptable under conditions of public access.     

黑龙江省大豆疫霉根腐病调查与病原分离

１９９６年对黑龙江省东部和中部大豆产区２３个市、县的大豆苗期疫霉根腐病进行了调查、研究,应用ＰＢＮＩＣ疫霉选择性培养基分离大豆疫霉根腐病病原菌,从牡丹江、穆棱、林口和佳木斯豆田具疫霉根腐症状的大豆植株上分离到大豆疫霉根腐病菌,并从根腐病株上单独或与大豆疫霉菌同时分离到终极腐霉菌,研究进一步证实我国黑龙江省有大豆疫霉根腐病。调查发现,大豆疫霉根腐病和终极腐霉根腐病主要发生在土质粘重、土壤含水量高或易积水的田块。     

Effects of shading and NO3:NH4 ratio on the yield,quality and N metabolism in strawberry

The effect of 50% shading and NO₃:NH₄ ratio (0:100, 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75) in the nutrient solution on growth, yield, quality and N metabolism in hydroponically grown strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa var Camarosa) was evaluated. Both fresh and dry weights of leaves were significantly lower when a high concentration of either NO₃ (100%) or NH₄ (75%) was the sole N source in the nutrient solution. In unshaded plants, increasing of both NH₄ and NO₃ ratio in the nutrient solution reduced photosynthetic (Pn) rate, however in shaded plants the reduction of Pn became more pronounced at a higher ratio of NH₄ in the nutrient solution. The yield in terms of fresh and dry weight of fruit per plant was significantly increased at the 75:25 and 50:50 (NO₃:NH₄) treatments. Fruit size was significantly affected by the treatments, so that the biggest fruits in both shaded and unshaded plants were obtained under the 75:25 and 50:50 (NO₃:NH₄) treatments. Total soluble solid (TSS) in unshaded plants was increased with increasing NH₄ ratio in the nutrient solution, however in shaded plants it was reduced at high NH₄ ratio in the nutrient solution. In both shaded and unshaded plants, higher concentration of NH₄ significantly reduced the post-harvest life of the fruits. The increase of tissue N concentration was nearly proportional to the NH₄ concentration in the nutrient solution. The activity of nitrate reductase (NR) was increased by increasing NH₄ from 0 to 50% and then reduced at a higher ratio of NH₄ in the solution. Shading increased NH₄ concentration so that the shaded plant had nearly twice as high NH₄ concentration in the leaves. The increase of NH₄ concentration induced by shading could be partially the reduction of NH₄ assimilate because of the shortage of carbohydrate.     

Removal of flowers or inflorescences affects ‘Barnea’ olive fruitlet post-anthesis abscission

A typical olive (Olea europaea L.) inflorescence consists of about 20 flowers. However, in many cultivars, only one fruit develops. This is due to massive abscission of flowers and fruitlets, which occurs during the first month after anthesis. In this study, we used the olive cultivar 'Barnea' to characterize the abscission mechanism and to try to increase fruit set by increasing the number of developed fruit per inflorescence. Removing the lateral flowers 3 weeks before anthesis increased fruit set by more than 50%. Removing all inflorescences but one from a branch increased the number of developed fruits from 0.93 to 2.8 during 2017 and from 0.91 to 3.34 fruits per inflorescence in 2018. Sugar quantification in the pistil revealed that starch level is high on the day of anthesis and low 25 days later in abscised as well as in developed fruit. Soluble carbohydrates are low on the day of anthesis, low in abscised flowers/fruitlets 25 days after anthesis and high in developed fruit. Screening the natural variation found in the Israeli germplasm collection revealed that in most cultivars less than one fruit per inflorescence has developed. However, there are unique cultivars with a higher fruit set.     

Repression of deoxynivalenol accumulation and expression of Tri genes in Fusarium culmorum by fungicides in vitro

A defined medium was developed in which to monitor deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation, fungal growth and expression of genes involved in trichothecene biosynthesis (designated Tri genes). In liquid culture, DON accumulated shortly after maximum expression of Tri6 and coincident with expression of Tri5. This was generally 96 h after inoculation. The effects of sublethal concentrations of the fungicides azoxystrobin, trifloxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and tebuconazole on biosynthesis of the trichothecene DON by Fusarium culmorum were studied using this medium. The strobilurin fungicides trifloxystrobin and azoxystrobin significantly reduced the accumulation of DON in culture medium at a range of concentrations. Kresoxim-methyl, also a strobilurin, and tebuconazole, a triazole, did not significantly reduce the accumulation of DON, although levels were lower than those in nonamended cultures. Trifloxystrobin significantly reduced the accumulation of DON when added to cultures before initiation of trichothecene biosynthesis. RT-PCR assays of the expression of Tri6 and Tri5 genes indicated that trifloxystrobin acted by inhibiting the initiation of trichothecene biosynthesis.     

Factors affecting seed dormancy and germination of Johnsongrass, Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.

Seeds of Johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.] germinated to higher percentages (20–30% higher) when incubated at 28 and 35° C than at 10 or 22° C. After-ripening was accelerated by dry storage of these seeds at 50°C. Seeds pre-chilled at 6°C for 2–4 weeks followed by incubation at 28°C germinated 40–60%. Light effects on germination were related to incubation temperatures; inhibitory at 22°C; no response at 28°C; and stimulatory at 35°C. Effects of gibberellin A₃ (GA₃) also varied depending on incubation temperature, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) immersion and light conditions. Immersion of dry seeds in either 700 mM NaOCl, 900 mM H₂O₂ or concentrated H₂SO₄ before incubation in water was effective in breaking dormancy. This result suggests the modes of action of H₂SO₄ in the termination of dormancy may be similar to those of NaOCl and H₂SO₄ as previously suggested by Hsiao & Quick (1984), that is by modification or scarification of the hull or seed coat membranes, and also by the supply of additional oxygen to the seed.     

The effect of diflubenzuron on Eggs of the vine Moth,Lobesia (Polychrosis) Botrana Den. & Schiff (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The activity of diflubenzuron against eggs ofLobesia botrana Den. & Schiff. was assayed with a dipping procedure, at 22° and 27° C. The compound was much more active at 27°C (LC-50 = 0.0072%) than at 22°C (LC-50 = 0.195%).