Allelopathy and the active metabolites of the endophytic fungus,Alternaria J46, from Platycladus orientalis

The endophytic fungus, Alternaria J46, was isolated from the stem of the medicinal plant, Platycladus orientalis. A suspension of Alternaria J46 mycelial segments and the culture filtrates of the fungi exhibited marked seed germination inhibition against the monocot wheat, large crabgrass, bromegrass, rice and barnyardgrass and weak inhibition against the dicot redroot pigweed and morning glory, but it was safe for use on soybean, rape, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and radish crops. It is possible to use J46 culture filtrates in order to prevent monocot weeds in dicot cropland. Three active metabolites were isolated from an extract of the fungus cultures and elucidated as 3‐acetyl‐5‐sec‐butyltetramic acid (1, tenuazonic acid), 3‐acetyl‐5‐iso‐butyltetramic acid (2, vivotoxin II) and cyclo‐(L‐leucyl‐L‐proline) (3). Among these three compounds, compounds 1 and 2 showed significant phytotoxic effects on the seed germination of large crabgrass, while compound 3 exhibited weak activity, and all were safe for lettuce at 100 μg mL^?1. Accordingly, compounds 1 and 2 were the main active metabolites that were responsible for endophytic fungus Alternaria J46's strong seed germination inhibition against monocotyledons.     

Screening for Differential Gene Expression in Atropa belladonna Leafy Gall Induced Following Rhodococcus fascians Infection

To better characterise at the molecular level the nature of plant responses to infection by Rhodococcus fascians PCR-based differential display patterns of Atropa belladonna leafy gall (LG) and non-infected plant tissues were compared. Six differentially expressed genes were identified and their altered expression was confirmed by RT-PCR. Three of them corresponded to up-regulated genes which encode proteins involved in plant defence. The three remaining cDNA fragments which correspond to down-regulated genes in LG, encoded proteins with similarity to a multicystatin, a miraculin and a methallothionein-like protein, respectively. Upon elimination of the bacteria from infected plant tissue, the expression of up-regulated genes was maintained, whereas expression of down-regulated genes resumed suggesting a potential role of these up-regulated genes in plant growth and development.     

Effect of distribution and concentration of topically applied neonicotinoid insecticides in buffalograss,Buchloe dactyloides,leaf tissues on the differential mortality of Blissus occiduus under field conditions

BACKGROUND: Neonicotinoid insecticides are generally efficacious against many turfgrass pests, including several important phloem‐feeding insects. However, inconsistencies in control of western chinch bugs, Blissus occiduus, have been documented in field efficacy studies. This research investigated the efficacy of three neonicotinoid insecticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) against B. occiduus in buffalograss under field conditions and detected statistically significant differences in B. occiduus numbers among treatments. A subsequent study documented the relative quantity and degradation rate of these insecticides in buffalograss systemic leaf tissues, using HPLC. RESULTS: Neonicotinoid insecticides initially provided significant reductions in B. occiduus numbers, but mortality diminished over the course of the field studies. Furthermore, while all three neonicotinoids were present in the assayed buffalograss leaf tissues, imidacloprid concentrations were significantly higher than those of clothianidin and thiamethoxam. Over the course of the 28 day study, thiamethoxam concentrations declined 700‐fold, whereas imidacloprid and clothianidin declined only 70‐fold and 60‐fold respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Field studies continued to verify inconsistencies in B. occiduus control with neonicotinoid insecticides. This is the first study to document the relative concentrations of topically applied neonicotinoid insecticides in buffalograss systemic leaf tissues. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

The role of models for multicriteria evaluation and multiobjective design of cropping systems for managing weeds

Weeds are both harmful for crop production and important for biodiversity, while herbicides can pollute the environment. We thus need new cropping systems optimising all cultural techniques, reconciling agricultural production, herbicide reduction and biodiversity conservation. Here, we show how to (i) develop models quantifying the effects of cropping systems on weed dynamics, (ii) integrate interactions between weeds and other organisms, (iii) predict the impact on production and biodiversity and (iv) use the model for multicriteria evaluation and multiobjective design of cropping systems. Among the existing weed dynamics models, we chose the one closest to our requirements to illustrate these different steps, that is, FlorSys which predicts multispecific weed dynamics as a function of cultural techniques and pedoclimate. We have illustrated the development of interaction submodels with the example of a crop pathogen whose propagation is increased when infecting grass weeds. To evaluate the weed flora impact, predicted weed densities were translated into indicators of harmfulness (crop yield loss, technical harvest problems, harvest pollution, field infestation, crop disease increase) and biodiversity (weed species richness and equitability, trophic resources for birds, insects and pollinators). Simulations were run over several years and with different weather scenarios (i) to optimise cultural techniques to control harmful weeds, (ii) to analyse the impact of changing agricultural practices (e.g. simplified tillage and rotations, no‐till, temporary crops) on weed density, species and trait composition and (iii) to evaluate cropping systems for their ability to reconcile agricultural production and biodiversity, thus identifying levers for designing sustainable cropping systems.     

High‐level of resistance to spinosad,emamectin benzoate and carbosulfan in populations of Thrips tabaci collected in Israel

BACKGROUND: The onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is a major pest of several crop plants in the genus Allium, such as onions, garlic and chives. In Israel, these crops are grown in open fields and in protected housing. This thrips is usually controlled by the application of chemical insecticides. In recent years, spinosad, emamectin benzoate and carbosulfan have been the major insecticides used for the control of the onion thrips. In the last 4 years, growers of chives and green onion from several regions of Israel have reported a significant decrease in the efficacy of insecticides used to control the onion thrips. RESULTS: The susceptibility of 14 populations of the onion thrips, collected mainly from chives between the years 2007 and 2011, to spinosad, emamectin benzoate and carbosulfan was tested using a laboratory bioassay. The majority of the populations showed significant levels of resistance to at least one of the insecticides. LC₅₀ values calculated for two of the studied populations showed that the resistance factor for spinosad compared with the susceptible population is 21 393, for carbosulfan 54 and for emamectin benzoate 36. Only two populations, collected from organic farms, were susceptible to the insecticides tested. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a high resistance level to spinosad, the major insecticide used to control the onion thrips. Resistance cases to spinosad were associated with failures to control the pest. Populations resistant to spinosad also had partial or complete resistance to other insecticides used for controlling the onion thrips. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry