Attempts to eradicate graft-transmissible infections through somatic embryogenesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrus</Emphasis> ssp. and analysis of genetic stability of regenerated plants

Ability to detect Pseudocercospora macadamiae infection in macadamia husk at least four months before symptoms become visible will aid the development of disease control measures. This study examined the distinctness of P. macadamiae within the phylogenetic lineages of the genus Pseudocercospora. In addition, we developed two quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays, as rapid diagnostic tools, for early detection and quantification of P. macadamiae in planta. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of four gene loci (large subunits, internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) and actin of 47 P. macadamiae isolates showed that P. macadamiae is a distinct species in the genus Pseudocercospora. P. macadamiae isolates were partitioned into subunits in the cluster but the grouping of the isolates was regardless of location. Nucleotide diversity (0.02) and the coefficient of genetic differentiation (0.07) were low in the P. macadamiae population. Two qPCR primer sets, based on ITS (PMI) and TEF-1α (PME) were designed that consistently amplified P. macadamiae in fungal cultures (Ct = 16.93 ± 0.11 and Ct = 21.20 ± 0.11, respectively) and in planta (Ct = 32.36 ± 0.28 and Ct = 38.07 ± 1.20, respectively). The PMI primers also detected species in the genus Pseudocercospora, while PME was more specific and robust for quantification of P. macadamiae. Both primer sets detected P. macadamiae in asymptomatic tissue samples and strongly differentiated various stages of disease progression, which revealed approximately 10-fold increase in fungal biomass between each consecutive stage of symptom development.     

Cover Image,Volume 73, Issue 3

The cover image of a fully blood‐engorged first instar bed bug, by Angela Sierras and Coby Schal, is based on the Research Article Comparison of ingestion and topical application of insecticides against the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), DOI: 10.1002/ps.4464 . Photo Credit: Matt Bertone.

     

Healing ability and diameter growth of lime-trees (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Tilia begonifolia</Emphasis> Stev.) following logging wounds

Lime-trees (Tilia begonifolia Stev.) have countless ecological and economical values in the northern forests of Iran. Bole wounds on residual trees are commonly caused by logging. The healing ability of bole wounds and the effect of bole wounds on diameter growth in lime-trees were assessed in a natural mixed uneven-age stand. The susceptibility to decay in relation to the wound severity was also evaluated. Condition and location of lime-trees before and after selective logging were determined through systematic plot sampling. The position of each lime-tree was identified on a topographical map using the global positioning system. After 10 years from wound occurrence, tree and wound characteristics were also re-measured. Overall, 68 stems (9.7 stem ha^?1) of lime-trees were found in the sampled area, 25 stems (36.8%) were damaged in the form of bole wound, and 43 stems (63.2%) were undamaged. Statistical differences between wounded or non-wounded lime-trees in terms of diameter and height were not found. Most of the wounds occurred at the height of < 1 m; the average wound size was 370.5 cm². Wound severity was related to wound size and wound position. Wound width healing rate was 6.2 mm year^?1. The wound shape was found to be a healing factor as the healing rate by width was higher than that by length. Healed wounds were only 12, 60% of bole wounds resulted in decay. Diameter growth of wounded trees was 43.5% lower than undamaged trees. The average annual diameter growth decreased by increasing wound severity. The results indicated the lime-tree is a very sensitive species to damage caused by logging (bole wound). Single-tree selection cutting needs more careful logging operations to reduce damage on residual lime-trees in order to safeguard this species, valuable in ecologic and economic terms.     

Correction to: Incidence and characterization of the presence of phytoplasmas in Fraxinus uhdei related with Ash Yellow disease in Colombia

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - In the article mentioned above, an author’s name was misspelled.     

Wheat leaf senescence and its regulatory gene network

Wheat leaf senescence is a developmental process that involves expressional changes in thousands of genes that ultimately impact grain protein content (GPC), gr...