Virulence development and genetic polymorphism in Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood after prolonged exposure to sublethal concentrations of nematicides and continuous growing of resistant tomato cultivars

BACKGROUND: The root‐knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood, is an important plant pathogen damaging to tomato. Continuous use of resistant tomato cultivars and nematicides for its effective management might lead to resistance break‐up or nematicide failure. Genetic variability and virulence in M. incognita on susceptible Pusa Ruby tomato were analysed by bioassay, esterase and DNA polymorphism after a 5 year weekly exposure to carbofuran, carbosulfan, cadusafos and triazophos at 0.0125, 0.0250 and 0.0500 µg g^?1. Virulence in M. incognita after a 5 year multiplication on resistant tomatoes was assessed. RESULTS: The nematicidal treatments resulted in the development of virulent M. incognita populations. Their invasion potential increased significantly after continuous exposure to low concentrations of the nematicides. Also, growing resistant tomato cultivars for ten successive seasons resulted in a 6.6% increase in the invasion potential. These virulent populations exhibited 1–3 additional esterase and DNA bands compared with untreated populations. CONCLUSION: A 5 year exposure of M. incognita to sublethal concentrations of nematicides or resistant tomato cultivars exerted enough selection pressure to cause genomic alterations for virulence development. Isozyme markers can be used for rapid and precise diagnostics of field populations by advisory services, enabling judicious remedial management decisions. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Long-Term Effect of Fertilizers and Amendments on Different Fractions of Organic Matter in an Acid Alfisol

The effect of fertilizers and amendments on organic matter dynamics in an acid Alfisol was studied in a long-term field experiment initiated during 1972 at experimental farm of Department of Soil Science, CSK HPKV, Palampur (India). Continuous application of chemical fertilizers either alone or in combination with farmyard manure (FYM) or lime for 42 years significantly influenced water-soluble organic carbon (WS-OC), water-soluble carbohydrate (WS-CHO), soil microbial biomass carbon, soil microbial biomass nitrogen, soil microbial biomass phosphorus, soil microbial biomass sulfur, humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA). Continuous cropping without fertilization resulted in depletion to the order of 17, 21, 24, 23, 22, 26, 12, and 18% in WS-OC, WS-CHO, microbial biomass carbon, microbial biomass nitrogen, microbial biomass phosphorus, microbial biomass sulfur, HA, and FA, respectively. Different fractions of soil organic matter were found to be positively and significantly correlated with grain and straw/stover yield of wheat and maize crops.     

Reactions of hydrated electrons with triazine derivatives in aqueous medium

A study is made of the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction of radiolytically produced hydrated electron (e-(aq)) with some triazine derivatives [1,3,5-triazine (T), 2,4,6-trimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine (TMT), 2,4-dioxohexahydro-1,3,5-triazine (DHT), 6-chloro N-ethyl N-(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine 2,4-diamine (atrazine, AT), and cyanuric acid (CA)] in aqueous medium using pulse and steady-state radiolysis techniques. The second-order rate constants were determined from the pseudo first-order decay of e(-)(aq) in the presence of triazines at 720 nm, and the values obtained with T, TMT, AT, and CA are in the order of 10(9) dm(3) mol(-1) s(-1) and that of DHT was 10(8) dm(3) mol(-1) s(-1) at pH 6. The transient absorption spectra from the reaction of e(-)(aq) with T and TMT are characterized by their lambda(max) at 310 nm, and those of DHT and CA are around 280 and 290 nm, respectively. However, a very weak and featureless absorption spectrum is obtained from AT. On the basis of the spectral evidence and on the quantitative electron transfer from the transient intermediates to the oxidant, methyl viologen (MV(2+)), the intermediate radicals are assigned to N-protonated electron adducts (with the unpaired spin density at carbon) of triazines. The degradation profiles, monitored as the disappearance of parent triazine concentrations as a function of dose, obtained with AT, TMT, CA, and DHT, highlight the potential use of e-(aq) in the degradation of triazines.     

Seasonal acclimation of photosystem II in Pinus sylvestris. I. Estimating the rate constants of sustained thermal energy dissipation and photochemistry

Acclimation of the partitioning of absorbed light energy in Photosystem II (PSII) between photochemical and non-photochemical processes includes short-term adjustments that are rapidly reversed in the dark and seasonal acclimation processes that are unaffected by dark acclimation. Thus, by using dark-acclimated leaves to study the seasonal acclimation of PSII, the confounding effect of short-term adjustments is eliminated. The maximum quantum yield of photochemistry, estimated by chlorophyll fluorescence analysis as F(v)/F(m), where F(v) = (F(m) - F(o)), and F(m) and F(o) are maximum and minimum chlorophyll fluorescence, respectively, has been widely used to follow the seasonal acclimation of PSII, because it is measured in dark-acclimated leaves. Seasonal changes in F(v)/F(m) can be caused by adjustments in either the photochemical capacity in PSII, or the capacity of thermal dissipation in PSII, or both. However, there is a lack of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters that can distinguish between these processes. In this study, we introduce two new parameters: the rate constants of sustained thermal energy dissipation (k(NPQ)) and of photochemistry (k(P)). We estimated k(NPQ) and k(P) from dark-acclimated F(o) and F(m) measured during spring recovery of photosynthesis in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees. We suggest that k(NPQ) and k(P) be used to study the mechanisms underlying the observed seasonal acclimation in PSII, because these parameters provide quantitative data that complement and extend F(v)/F(m) measurements.     

Investigation on pre-zygotic barriers in the interspecific crosses involving Gossypium barbadense and four diploid wild species

Interspecific hybridisation has played significant role in the improvement of economically useful traits such as productivity, earliness, fibre quality and resistance to pests and diseases in cotton. However, wide crosses are often limited by the operation of either pre or/and post-fertilization barriers. The present study on pollen tube behaviour of four diploid wild species viz., G. triphyllum, G. davidsonii, G. thurberi and G. armourianum in the pistils of G. barbadense was taken up to determine the extent of pre-zygotic barriers operating in these crosses. High rate of pollen germination (∼80%) and normal growth of pollen tubes were observed upon selfing of both G. barbadense and four wild species. Pollen tubes reached the pistils and fertilization was accomplished within 8 HAP in all the five parental species. In the interspecific crosses, pollen germination was normal in the cross involving G. armourianum and drastically inhibited in the crosses involving G. triphyllum, G. davidsonii and G. thurberi. Even though delayed pollen tube growth was a general feature in all the four crosses, successful fertilization was observed only in the cross involving G. armourianum. In crosses involving G. triphyllum, G. davidsonii and G. thurberi, pollen tubes failed to reach the ovary even at 24 HAP due to the presence of strong stylar and ovarian incompatibility. Abnormalities in pollen tubes such as swelling, twisting, intense callose plug formation, breakage, branching and reverse orientation were frequently observed among the incompatible crosses.     

Prefertilization barriers to interspecific hybridization involving Gossypium hirsutum and four diploid wild species

Interspecific hybridization among species of cotton has lead to improvement in productivity, earliness, fibre quality and resistance to pests and diseases. However, wide crosses is often limited by the operation of either pre‐ or/and post‐fertilization barriers. An investigation on pollen tube behaviour of four wild species in the pistils of Gossypium hirsutum was taken up. Pollen germination was normal in crosses involving Gossypium triphyllum and Gossypium armourianum and markedly inhibited in the crosses involving Gossypium davidsonii and Gossypium thurberi. Pollen tubes reached the pistils and fertilization was accomplished within 8 h after pollination (HAP) in control cross. Even though delay in pollen tube was a common phenomenon in all the four crosses successful fertilization was observed in crosses involving G. triphyllum and G. armourianum, as they reached the ovary at 24 HAP. In crosses with G. davidsonii and G. thurberi, pollen tubes failed to reach the ovary even at 24 HAP indicating the presence of strong stylar and ovarian incompatibility. Measures to overcome such barriers to interspecific hybridization in the incompatible crosses are discussed.     

Impact of community forest program in protection forest on livelihood outcomes: A case study of Lampung Province,Indonesia

The global to local-level importance of Indonesian forests for the environment and development is now very well documented. However, how to govern these forests to achieve the diverse and, at times, conflicting interests is still an open question. Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm) is a community forest (CF) that is being implemented to contribute to local development while creating sufficient incentives for conserving the forest. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of HKm to conserve forests. This study analyzed the changes in the five major types of capital for HKm farmers. The results indicated HKm to have contributed positively to the improvement of natural, physical, and human capital. In addition to its direct impact, HKm was also found to improve the financial capital of the farmers by avoiding patron–client relationships and side payments between the pre-HKm illegal encroacher farmers (now legal land cultivators) and government officers. Although the results support the possibility of HKm producing a win-win situation between forest conservation and rural development, its future applicability, especially with consideration of population growth and associated increase in demand for cultivation land, needs to be given due emphasis.     

Effect of Continuous Application of Fertilizers,Farmyard Manure and Lime on Soil Fertility and Productivity of the Maize-Wheat System in an Acid Alfisol

A study on the long-term effect of fertilizers and amendments on crop productivity and changes in soil fertility in maize-wheat cropping system in an acid Alfisol was carried out in randomized block design (RBD) with 11 treatments. Continuous application of chemical fertilizers along with farmyard manure (FYM) or lime significantly influenced the grain and straw/stover yield and the uptake of nutrients by wheat and maize crops significantly. The organic carbon content increased from 7.9 to 12.1 g kg^?1, cation exchange capacity (CEC) from 12.1 to 14.6 cmol (p⁺) kg^?1 and available phosphorus from 21.9 to 75.2 kg ha^?1 through the integrated use of organic and fertilizers for the last 42 years while the status of available nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) declined over the years in all the treatments. Continuous application of urea alone resulted in a drastic decline in soil pH at both depths. Imbalanced use of fertilizers led to a significant reduction in the productivity of both crops and depleted the soil fertility.