A selective medium to isolate airborne spores of Microdochium nivale,causing winter wheat scab

Winter wheat scab in Hokkaido, Japan is caused predominantly by Gibberella zeae and Microdochium nivale and can result in significant yield losses. A selective medium for isolation of G. zeae was previously developed, but not for M. nivale. The purpose of this study therefore was to develop a selective medium for isolation of airborne spores of M. nivale. Based on the basic composition of Komada’s Fusarium-selective medium, carbon and nitrogen sources and the most suitable vitamin B component for the basal composition were examined. Hyphal growth of M. nivale was promoted when galactose was replaced with lactose and combined with L-asparagine, while aerial hyphal formation increased with thiamine hydrochloride as the vitamin B source. In antimicrobial composition, colony formation of other filamentous fungi was greatly inhibited by spiroxamine. Thiophanate methyl, to which M. nivale shows resistance, selectively inhibited the growth of Fusarium spp. only. Spore trapping using the selective medium was subsequently performed in a wheat field. M. nivale formed characteristic pinkish colonies on the selective medium in the case of contamination with other filamentous fungi, making differentiation easy. Overall, the findings show that LATTS medium developed in this study is effective for isolation of airborne spores of M. nivale.     

Varietal difference in the effects of low temperature on tassel development in hybrid maize

In 2003, severe barrenness due to low temperatures in hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) cultivar occurred in the Konsen region, one of the coldest areas in Japan. Varietal difference in grain set, and abnormal flowering habits and tassel growth were observed in the field in 2003. For the cultivar 39B29, which was affected severely, anthesis occurred several days after silking, and tassel size was reduced. For the cultivar Papirika, which was not affected by low temperature, anthesis began 0–1 d before silking, and tassel size was similar to that in previous years. In a 2011–2013 experiment, three varieties, Papirika, 39B29, and Kwiss were treated at 10 °C for 7 d at 6- to 9-leaf stage. Following the treatment, anthesis was delayed, and tassel length was reduced, in 39B29 and Kwiss, but not in Papirika. The relative tassel length (RTL, ratio of tassel length of experimental plants to that of untreated control plants) was around 60 in 39B29, 80 in Papirika, and 30 in Kwiss on average over 3 years. Based on field observations in 2003 and the pot experiment in 2011–2013, a cultivar whose RTL was 60 or less was deemed sensitive, and a cultivar whose RTL was 80 or more was deemed less sensitive to low-temperature stress during the tassel development stage.     

Unreduced 3x gamete formation of allotriploid hybrid derived from the cross of Primula denticulata (4x)?×?P. rosea (2x) as a causal factor for producing pentaploid hybrids in the backcross with pollen of tetraploid P. denticulata

A triploid hybrid, which was obtained from interspecific crosses between tetraploid Primula denticulata (2n = 4x = 44) and P. rosea (2n = 2x = 22), successfully produced 11 plants by backcrossing with pollen of tetraploid P. denticulata. Analysis of ploidy level using flow cytometry and chromosome counting in the 11 BC₁ plants revealed that all progeny had much larger DNA contents and chromosome number than both parents. In this triploid-tetraploid (3x–4x) crossing, progeny was predominantly true or near pentaploid presumably produced by the fertilization between true or near triploid female gamete produced from triploid hybrid and diploid pollen of tetraploid P. denticulata. These results suggest that unreduced (3x) or near triploid female gametes were partially produced by single step meiosis, either first-division restitution or second-division restitution process. The zygotes formed by the fertilization between true or near triploid egg produced by single step meiosis in triploid hybrid and diploid pollen produced by normal meiosis of tetraploid P. denticulata might be the only survivors in embryogenesis.     

Defect detection in lumber including knots using bending deflection curve: comparison between experimental analysis and finite element modeling

A new method has been developed for detecting localized defects such as edge knots using a bending deflection curve. The coordinates of a bottom edge (edgeline) of an unloaded piece of lumber are extracted from a digital image, and a bending deflection curve is obtained from the displacement of the edgeline of the lumber using a digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Depending on the knots within the beam, the bending deflection curve is shifted from the curve of a defect-free beam. The measured bending deflection curve is regressed to a theoretical curve by elementary beam theory. A finite element method (FEM) model of the beams including defects as simplified knot structure has been performed. Comparison between the bending experiment and FEM analysis shows that cross-sectional reductions cause characteristic variations in the bending deflection curves depending on the position of encased knots, and local grain distortions cause variations in the curves depending on the direction of spike knots. Using the residual variance between the measured deflection curve and a polynomial regression curve, it is possible to detect knots at which failures initiate. Part of this article was presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Hiroshima, Japan, August 2007     

Identification and molecular mapping of Flowering Date1 (FD1), a major photoperiod insensitivity gene in the adzuki bean (Vigna angularis)

The induction of flowering under long‐day conditions is an important adaptation by short‐day plants, such as adzuki beans (Vigna angularis), to high‐latitude environments. This study clarified the genetic control underlying the long‐day insensitivity of adzuki bean cultivar ‘Shumari’. ‘Shumari’ was found to be insensitive to a 16‐h day, whereas landrace Acc2265 was highly sensitive. When grown under natural long‐day conditions at Obihiro (42°9′N), Acc2265 initiated flowering at least 80 days after ‘Shumari’. When 86 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from crosses between ‘Shumari’ and Acc2265 were grown under these conditions, their flowering dates ranged from the middle of July to the end of October. The distinct bimodal distribution in the RIL population was due to a single major gene, designated Flowering Date1 (FD1). Molecular mapping showed that FD1 was located between the SSR markers Az02‐37M3 and Az02‐40M9, at distances of 6 and 10.4 cM, respectively, on linkage group 2. RILs carrying FD1^S lacked long‐day sensitivity, whereas RILs carrying FD1^A were sensitive to long‐day conditions, confirming that FD1 controls long‐day sensitivity.