Crude garlic extract significantly inhibits replication of grapevine viruses

Efforts to control viral diseases of grapevine include the production of certified material and development of virus-resistant transgenic grapevines. However, effective antiviral agents, once the viruses have infected the plants, are still lacking. This study shows that a crude garlic extract has significant antiviral activity against grapevine viruses. Replication of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 2 (GLRaV-2) was obviously inhibited in grapevine cv. Cabernet Sauvignon calli treated with diluted (1:100) garlic extract. The relative RNA levels of GLRaV-2 and grapevine fleck virus (GFkV) in cv. Summer Black grapevine in in vitro-grown plantlets 10 days after treatment with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 22% and 20%, respectively, of that in controls. The viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-2, GFkV, grapevine virus A (GVA), grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) and grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV) in field-grown grapevine cv. Centennial Seedless plants sprayed with diluted (1:100) garlic extract were about 31–40%, 26–38%, 18–31%, 17–42% and 15–18%, respectively, of that in controls. Moreover, the garlic extract treatment led to a significant decrease in viral RNA accumulation of GLRaV-3, GLRaV-2, GVA, GFkV, GFLV, GRSPaV and grapevine Pinot Gris virus in pot-grown grapevine cv. Shine Muscat plants, and viral disease symptoms in these plants were obviously attenuated. In addition, this extract significantly induced expression of pathogenesis-related protein genes and stimulated activity of antioxidant enzymes in grapevines. Taken together, these results indicate that the crude garlic extract acts as a significant inhibitor against a broad range of grapevine viruses.     

重庆市20例经鼻高流量氧疗治疗重型新型冠状病毒肺炎的疗效分析

为评价经鼻高流量氧疗(high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy, HFNC)治疗重型新型冠状病毒肺炎(novel coronavirus pneumonia, NCP)的临床疗效,对重庆市公共卫生医疗救治中心2020年1月24日-2月23日收治的20例接受HFNC治疗的重型NCP患者临床资料进行了回顾性分析.结果表明:经HFNC治疗后, 7例(35%)患者症状及氧合指数(oxygenation index,用P/F表示)改善,继续HFNC治疗; 13例患者(65%)经治疗后症状无改善或出现加重或恶化,改为无创通气(noninvasive ventilation, NIV)或有创机械通气(invasive mechanical ventilation, IMV).两组患者在性别、年龄、基础疾病等一般资料方面差异无统计学意义(p0.05),但HFNC治疗失败组平均年龄高于HFNC治疗成功组(分别为63.30岁和57.76岁).对HFNC治疗进行失败风险的单因素分析发现,治疗成功及失败患者的初始呼吸频率、 CD4+绝对值、P/F、治疗前ROX指数(rate-oxygenation index)、 12 h ROX指数比较差异无统计学意义(p0.05),但治疗成功者基线SaO_2、治疗后2 h ROX指数和治疗后12 h ROX指数显著升高(p0.05).对单因素分子中p0.05的因素及基线P/F用Cox风险比例模型进行分析发现,基线SaO_2、基线P/F和治疗后2 h、治疗后12 h的ROX指数均不是HFNC治疗失败的独立危险因素,但它们的值越低, HFNC治疗失败的风险就越大.基线P/F200 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)时, HFNC治疗失败的风险高于P/F≥200 mmHg者. HFNC可用于治疗基线P/F≥200 mmHg的重型NCP患者,而基线P/F200 mmHg或年龄≥50岁的患者,治疗失败的风险较大.     

不同叶顶间隙下斜流泵内部 流动特性的数值模拟

为研究轮缘叶顶间隙对斜流泵性能和流动不稳定特性的影响,基于SST k-ω湍流模型对某斜流泵选取了0, 0.25, 1.00, 2.00 mm 4种尺寸的叶顶间隙进行数值计算,分析间隙区域内压差分布、泄漏量、叶顶泄漏涡旋强度以及进口轴面速度分布.结果表明:不同运行工况下,斜流泵泄漏量从叶轮进口到叶轮出口先增大后减小,其与间隙区内压差变化趋势相吻合.叶顶泄漏量随着间隙尺寸的增大而增大,导致泵的能量损失增大.经对比发现,间隙尺寸是影响叶顶泄漏量的主要因素.小流量工况下,随着叶顶间隙尺寸的增大,叶顶泄漏流与主流卷吸作用形成的泄漏涡强度逐渐增强.部分泄漏流进入相邻叶片通道,导致其流动失稳.随着叶顶间隙的增大,斜流泵能量损失明显增多,且内流不稳定性明显加剧.增大流量后,不同间隙下叶顶泄漏涡旋转强度均逐渐降低.     

麻地膜对设施樱桃番茄(Solanum lycopersivon)生长及产量的影响

为了明确麻地膜覆盖在设施大棚内对樱桃番茄生长及产量的影响,本研究采用‘浙樱粉1号’为实验材料,设置3个处理:麻地膜覆盖、塑料地膜覆盖及对照(不覆盖),比较了不同覆盖措施对‘浙樱粉1号’株高、茎粗、单株鲜重、结果数量及樱桃番茄鲜果重的影响。结果表明,在设施大棚内采用麻地膜覆盖增加了‘浙樱粉1号’株高、茎粗、结果数量及樱桃番茄鲜果重。麻地膜覆盖对设施大棚内种植的樱桃番茄有增产作用,麻地膜的推广应用可以减少塑料地膜对环境污染,利于农业的可持续发展。     

基于果实品质与EST-SSR标记的刺梨居群遗传多样性分析及核心种质构建

通过分析评价野生刺梨(Rosa roxburghii Tratt.)资源居群遗传多样性和遗传结构,同时构建核心种质,为刺梨资源的保护和发掘利用提供科学依据。本研究利用10对EST-SSR引物和9个果实品质性状指标对收集的12个刺梨自然居群(共102份种质)的遗传多样性及遗传结构进行分析,同时结合原贵州省32份初级核心种质,采用位点优先取样策略进一步构建西南地区核心种质。结果表明,黔西(QX)居群拥有最高的Shannon信息指数I=0.6965,基因多样性指数h=0.3935,多态位点百分率p=84.62%;而古丈(GZ)居群则无论在分子数据还是表型数据都表现为遗传多样性最低;AMOVA分析表明刺梨居群内遗传变异在87%以上,居群间基因流Nem在3.5以上、平均Nei’s遗传距离(GD)0.223。构建的19份核心种质等位基因保留率和稀有等位基因保留率均为100%,能够代表原种质的遗传多样性。西南地区野生刺梨的遗传变异主要发生在居群内,居群间具有基因交流频繁、Nei’s遗传距离小等特点,构建的19份核心种质从等位基因保留率、稀有等位基因保留率及地理分布均能够较好地代表原种质的遗传多样性。自然居群以黔西(QX)居群遗传多样性最高。因此,野生刺梨的保护策略可采用就地保护黔西(QX)居群与迁地保护19份核心种质相结合的方法进行。     

Exogenous application of melatonin improves plant resistance to virus infection

In this study, melatonin (MEL)-mediated plant resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was examined to study local infection in Nicotiana glutinosa and systemic infection in Solanum lycopersicum. Exogenous application of 100 µm MEL increased anti-virus infection activity to 37.4% in virus-infected N. glutinosa plants. The same treatment significantly reduced relative levels of virus RNA analysed by qRT-PCR and virus titres measured by dot-ELISA, and increased the relative expression levels of the PR1 and PR5 genes analysed by qRT-PCR, in virus-infected S. lycopersicum. MEL treatment induced considerable accumulations of salicylic acid (SA) and nitric oxide (NO) but did not significantly affect production of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the virus-infected S. lycopersicum plants. Transgenic nahG N. tabacum was used to determine whether MEL-induced TMV resistance was dependent on the SA pathway. The results showed that the relative RNA level of the TMV analysed by qRT-PCR and virus titres analysed by dot-ELISA were not reduced by the MEL treatment in the nahG transgenic N. tabacum seedlings treated twice with 100 µm MEL. The increased relative expression levels of PR1 and PR5 were greatly reduced when cPTIO, an NO scavenger, was included in the MEL treatment. A working model of MEL-mediated plant resistance to TMV is proposed. MEL-mediated plant resistance to viruses provides a new avenue to control plant viral diseases.     

Identification and pathogenicity of Cryphonectriaceae species associated with chestnut canker in China

Cryphonectriaceae species cause serious canker diseases on chestnut, oak and eucalypt trees. Recently, canker symptoms with typical orange fruiting bodies were observed on Chinese chestnut and oak trees in Hebei, Hubei, Shaanxi and Shandong Provinces in China. In the present study, isolates of these fungi were identified based on phylogenetic and morphological evidence, and their pathogenicities were tested on detached chestnut (Castanea mollissima) branches. DNA sequence comparisons of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and two regions of β-tubulin (TUB1/TUB2) indicate that these isolates represent five species in the Cryphonectriaceae, viz. Cryphonectria japonica, Cryphonectria parasitica, Aurantiosacculus castaneae sp. nov., Cryphonectria neoparasitica sp. nov. and Endothia chinensis sp. nov. The sexual morph of Aurantiosacculus is discovered for the first time and can be distinguished from the other genera in Cryphonectriaceae by dark brown ascospores and tubiform appendages at both ends. Cryphonectria neoparasitica sp. nov. is different from the other Cryphonectria species by its aseptate ascospores. Endothia chinensis sp. nov. is the sole species in Endothia infecting the host genus Castanea. Additionally, it is much smaller than E. gyrosa and narrower than E. singularis in ascospores. The inoculation results showed that these five Cryphonectriaceae fungi isolated from chestnut or oak are all pathogenic to tested chestnut branches. Cryphonectria parasitica appears to be the most aggressive fungus, followed by C. neoparasitica sp. nov., C. japonica, E. chinensis sp. nov. and A. castaneae sp. nov.     

Comparative performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies under different nutrient and light conditions

Invasive plants may be more plastic than non‐invasive plants and maintain high fitness under various environmental conditions. Previous studies mainly focused on the comparisons between invasive and native plants, and comparisons between highly invasive and less invasive exotic species are still relatively rare, especially for comparisons at the subspecies level. This study examined the effects of nutrient addition and shading on the performance of the highly invasive Mimosa invisa and its less invasive subspecies M. invisa var. inermis under either isolated or competitive conditions. Nutrient addition increased biomass and plant height and decreased root‐to‐shoot ratio (R/S). Shading decreased biomass and R/S and increased plant height. Under isolated conditions, the two invaders did not differ in R/S, plant height and plasticity of these traits in response to nutrient addition or shading, and the two invaders also did not differ in biomass production under each of the nutrient and light treatments. When the two invaders competed with each other, M. invisa outcompeted M. invisa var. inermis under high soil nutrient conditions, and the two invaders did not differ in performance under other growth conditions. Thus, only considering competition may we find out the difference between highly invasive species and their closely related, less invasive subspecies. Management of M. invisa should focus on habitats with high soil nutrient availability, in which M. invisa is more likely to dominate.     

Site‐specific management is crucial to managing Mikania micrantha

Increasingly, weeds have been taking on global distributions. With the proliferation of invasive weeds has come the challenge of managing these species over broad geographical regions, with diverse habitats and political jurisdictions. Here, we review the management of Mikania micrantha Kunth (Asteraceae; mile‐a‐minute) throughout its invaded range, extending through most of the Pacific islands and southern and south‐east Asia. Context matters when determining the best course of action for managing M. micrantha, as it has invaded a large variety of agricultural and natural systems. In Queensland, Australia and Florida, USA, M. micrantha has been targeted in relatively successful eradication campaigns, highlighting the importance of early detection and rapid response methods, while elsewhere in its invaded range, populations are either still increasing or showing limited signs of decline. An inter‐regional approach to research and management should incorporate successful management strategies employed throughout the invaded range including, but not limited to, chemical and cultural control practices, manual and mechanical control, classical biological control using the rust fungus Puccinia spegazzinii, plant–plant competition and integrated approaches utilising two or more control methods concurrently. Additional knowledge of M. micrantha genetics is required to determine if management approaches could be fine‐tuned for particular populations. Countries bordering the Mekong River formed a network in 2011 to co‐ordinate the management of invasive species such as M. micrantha. Expanding such a collaborative approach to other regions could further reduce populations of M. micrantha and limit its spread.