The influence of silvicultural treatments and site conditions on American chestnut (Castanea dentata) seedling establishment in eastern Kentucky, USA

After more than 50 years of research and selective breeding, blight-resistant American chestnut (Castanea dentata) trees will soon be available for planting into the species’ pre-blight range. Increased understanding of the regeneration requirements of pure American chestnut (C. dentata [Marsh.] Borkh.) will increase the success of future efforts to establish blight-resistant chestnut. We quantified survival and initial growth of bare-root American chestnut seedlings at five locations in eastern Kentucky, USA. We used a split-plot design to compare seedlings planted within adjacent mesic and xeric sites treated with either a two-age shelterwood overstory treatment or a midstory removal treatment. The silvicultural treatments and topographic settings allowed us to evaluate chestnut seedling performance under four light and site productivity combinations. Seedling survival was 57% and seedling height averaged 94 cm following two growing seasons. Seedling survival was negatively related to sand and coarse fragment content, but was unrelated to silviculture treatment or topographic position. Chestnut seedlings grew best in shelterwood overstory treatments areas on mesic sites. Seedlings growing in shelterwood overstory treatment areas added 3- and 3.5-times more height and stem increment compared to seedlings planted after midstory removal. Seedling leaf mass and foliar nitrogen (N) content were also greatest in shelterwood plantings on mesic sites. The high-light environment created by shelterwood overstory removal resulted in better initial seedling growth, but the moderate-light of the midstory removal treatment may ultimately provide chestnut seedlings a greater advantage over competing vegetation.     

Fast molecular detection of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi in diseased horse chestnut trees

A molecular technique was used to detect the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi in horse chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum), affected by the recently recognized European ‘Pseudomonas horse chestnut bark disease’. The technique helped identify the pathogen within 6 h of sample preparation including DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and electrophoresis until gel documentation. PCR primer pairs derived from the gyrase B gene sequence were used. Because of the great similarity in the gyrase B gene sequences of the numerous closely related P. syringae pathovars, the primers were not only totally specific to the pathovar aesculi, but also detected a few other pathovars. The assumption that other bacteria should not occur at least near to a necrotic lesion of a horse chestnut tree was corroborated by sequence identity of the PCR products obtained with the gyrase B gene sequence of P. syringae pv. aesculi. Koch’s postulates were fulfilled for an isolate of P. syringae pv. aesculi obtained from a diseased horse chestnut tree sampled in Hamburg in 2007.     

养殖条件下施氏鲟（♂）X达氏鳇（♀）杂交后代的生长特性

2008年～2011年研究了人工养殖条件下的施氏鲟Acipenserschrenckii（6）×达氏鳇Husodauncus（早）杂交后代（f谷称大杂交）的生长特性。结果表明：1～7龄大杂交体长、体重相对增长率及生长指标随年龄的增长而逐渐下降,呈“异速生长一等速生长一异速生长”的变化趋势。不同年龄大杂交的体长与体重均呈幂指数关系,R2值变幅为0．95～0．99。其中,1-3龄大杂交a值〉3,呈强异速生长。此后随年龄的增加,异速生长减弱,发育趋向均匀。5龄时a值为2．94接近3,7龄a值为2．63〈3。大杂交肥满度随年龄增加而增大,其与体重的相关性（R2＝0．94）高于与体长的相关性。采用7种生长方程对不同年龄大杂交的体长生长和体重生长进行拟合,其中Gompertz、Quadratic、VBGF和Cubic4种生长方程式对大杂交体长生长的拟合效果较好,除Cubic生长方程外,其它6种生长方程对其体重生长的拟合度均较低。7种生长模型中,均以Cubic生长方程对大杂交的体长生长和体重生长的拟合R2值最大,RSS值最小,说明Cubic生长方程对不同年龄大杂交的生长具有最好的拟合效果,拐点体重、体长和年龄分别为28．53kg、82．11cm和4．22龄。     

The Colletotrichum acutatum species complex

Colletotrichum acutatum is known as an important anthracnose pathogen of a wide range of host plants worldwide. Numerous studies have reported subgroups within the C. acutatum species complex. Multilocus molecular phylogenetic analysis (ITS, ACT, TUB2, CHS-1, GAPDH, HIS3) of 331 strains previously identified as C. acutatum and other related taxa, including strains from numerous hosts with wide geographic distributions, confirmed the molecular groups previously recognised and identified a series of novel taxa. Thirty-one species are accepted, of which 21 have not previously been recognised. Colletotrichum orchidophilum clusters basal to the C. acutatum species complex. There is a high phenotypic diversity within this complex, and some of the species appear to have preferences to specific hosts or geographical regions. Others appear to be plurivorous and are present in multiple regions. In this study, only C. salicis and C. rhombiforme formed sexual morphs in culture, although sexual morphs have been described from other taxa (especially as laboratory crosses), and there is evidence of hybridisation between different species. One species with similar morphology to C. acutatum but not belonging to this species complex was also described here as new, namely C. pseudoacutatum.

Taxonomic novelties:

New combinations - Colletotrichum limetticola (R.E. Clausen) Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. lupini (Bondar) Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. salicis (Fuckel) Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous. New species - C. acerbum Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. australe Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. brisbanense Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. cosmi Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. costaricense Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. cuscutae Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. guajavae Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. indonesiense Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. johnstonii Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. kinghornii Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. laticiphilum Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. melonis Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. orchidophilum Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. paxtonii Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. pseudoacutatum Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous C. pyricola Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. rhombiforme Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. scovillei Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. sloanei Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. tamarilloi Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. walleri Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous. Typifications: Epitypifications - C. acutatum J.H. Simmonds, C. limetticola (R.E. Clausen) Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous, C. nymphaeae (Pass.) Aa, C. phormii (Henn.) D.F. Farr & Rossman, C. salicis (Fuckel) Damm, P.F. Cannon & Crous. Lectotypifications - C. nymphaeae (Pass.) Aa, C. orchidearum Allesch.Key words: anthracnose, Ascomycota, Colletotrichum acutatum, Gloeosporium, Glomerella, phylogeny, systematics     

天然梨竹林地上生物量及养分分配

2005~2006年间,对印度米佐拉姆天然梨竹林的地上生物量及养分分配进行了研究。根据不同成分对该竹种的立木生物量有很重要,可排序如下:竹秆 > 竹节 > 花序 > 叶 >。在NPK养分中,N的含量最高,然后是K,最后是P。每公顷总地上生物量随秆龄的增长而增加。在研究期间,发现与其他部位相比,叶的养分积累较少。这表明由于从生竹到开花,消耗了过多的养分,导致主要竹笋的死亡。     

Global marine yield halved as fishing intensity redoubles

There is widespread concern and debate about the state of global marine resources and the ecosystems supporting them, notably global fisheries, as catches now generally stagnate or decline. Many fisheries are not assessed by standard stock assessment methods including many in the world's most biodiverse areas. Though simpler methods using widely available catch data are available, these are often discounted largely because data on fishing effort that contributed to the changes in catches are mostly not considered. We analyse spatial and temporal patterns of global fishing effort and its relationship with catch to assess the status of the world's fisheries. The study reveals that fleets now fish all of the world's oceans and have increased in power by an average of 10‐fold (25‐fold for Asia) since the 1950s. Significantly, for the equivalent fishing power expended, landings from global fisheries are now half what they were a half‐century ago, indicating profound changes to supporting marine environments. This study provides another dimension to understand the global status of fisheries.     

Germination of Ascospores of Gibberella zeae after exposure to various levels of relative humidity and temperature

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most important cereal diseases in the world and has caused major losses to the grain industry. The principal pathogen causing FHB in North America is Gibberella zeae (anamorph Fusarium graminearum). Information on survival and the conditions under which ascospores remain viable once released from perithecia may assist in refining disease forecasting models. This study measured germination of ascospores after exposure to different temperatures, 15, 20, and 30 degrees C, and levels of relative humidity (RH), 30, 60, and 90% for 4, 24, or 48 h periods. Viability was tested by germination on water agar. Germination rates fell with increasing temperatures at all observation times and at all humidity levels. At 15 and 20 degrees C after 48 h, germination ranged from 74 to 85%, and 52 to 72%, respectively. At 30 degrees C, germination ranged from 36 to 59% after 24 h and from 13 to 47% after 48 h. Germination was highest at 90% RH, except at 30 degrees C after 48 h, and lowest at 60% RH. Successful germination, even under extreme conditions, suggests that ascospores are sufficiently robust to constitute a source of inoculum under most environmental conditions encountered during the growing season.     

Non-chemical weed control on traffic islands: a comparison of the efficacy of five weed control techniques

The efficacy of five non‐chemical weed control methods for reducing weed cover on traffic islands was investigated in the growing season of 2004. Three trial sites were divided into six treatment areas which were treated with either flame, steam, hot air, hot water, brushes or left untreated. The treatments were carried out at regular intervals throughout the growing season. The percentage weed cover was measured every second week using a 75 × 75 cm quadratic frame with 100 squares. In the control areas, a rapid increase in weed cover was observed, whereas all treatments reduced weed cover. Hot water was the most effective method, although not significantly better than hot air or steam. Hot air treatment was more effective than brushing, whereas hot water was more effective than both flaming and brushing. The doses that were used were relatively high (150–355 kg ha^?1), partly because of the irregular shape of the traffic islands and the treatment intervals were quite short in comparison with those in similar studies. However, the treatments could keep down the weeds only to a certain extent. The present knowledge of the efficacy of various weed control methods, as well as an increase in our knowledge of adequate treatment intervals, supports an optimisation of hard‐surface weed control. Data and experience gained from these trials were used to develop further calibrated application studies.     

Pyrethroid sensitivity monitoring in Germany of oilseed rape pest insects other than pollen beetle

Pyrethroid resistant pollen beetles ( Meligethes aeneus ) are widely distributed in Germany and other European countries. Other insect pests on oilseed rape are also exposed to pyrethroids which often have more than one application per season. In spite of this scarce information about the sensitivity of other oilseed rape pest insects is available. To address this monitoring of pyrethroid sensitivity of different oilseed rape pest insects has been carried out since 2005. Laboratory experiments were conducted using an adult-vial-test design with samples collected in different areas of Germany.
Most samples of Ceutorhynchus napi , C. assimilis , C. pallidactylus , Dasineura brassicae , Phyllotreta spp. and Psylliodes chrysocephala tested from 2005–2007 showed 100% mortality at 0.003 and 0.015 µg/cm² lambda-cyhalothrin used as reference test pyrethroid. Some samples especially of C. pallidactylus , C. napi and C. assimilis showed a lower mortality with alive and healthy beetles at 0.015 µg/cm² lambda-cyhalothrin. For all samples tested from 2005–2007 100% mortality was found only at higher rates of 0.0375 or 0.075 µg/cm² lambda-cyhalothrin.
To date, no clear pyrethroid resistance has been detected in other oil seed rape pest insect populations in Germany.     

Thermographic assessment of scab disease on apple leaves

Phytopathogenic fungi may affect both the cuticular and the stomatal conductance of plant tissue resulting in significant modifications of leaf temperature. Venturia inaequalis colonizes apple leaves below the cuticle (subcuticularly) causing scab disease. The suitability of digital infrared thermography for sensing and quantifying apple scab was assessed by investigating the effects of V. inaequalis on the water balance of apple leaves in relation to the disease stage and the severity of scab. Transpiration was measured by infrared thermo-imaging to evaluate spatial heterogeneity of the leaves in response to localized infections. Fungal development was assessed microscopically. Subcuticular growth of the pathogen caused localized decreases in leaf temperature before symptoms appeared that significantly increased the maximum temperature difference (MTD) of leaves. The MTD increased with scab development and was strongly correlated to the size of infection sites (r2_linear = 0.85) and overall disease severity (% diseased leaf area, r2_square = 0.71). In later stages of the disease, the MTD decreased because of leaf senescence. Thermographic measurements revealed differences in disease severity resulting from disease stage, resistance of host tissue and differences in the aggressiveness of V. inaequalis isolates. Subcuticular growth of the pathogen was beyond the area of conidia production, therefore, the area of leaf with increased transpiration was larger than the scab lesions; the proportion decreased from >70% in the early stages to <20% for mature lesions. Leaf transpiration was increased by all stages of scab development, therefore, MTD may be used not only for the differentiation between diseased and non-diseased leaves, but also for disease quantification, e.g. in screening systems and monitoring in precision agriculture.