The fate of fluroxypyr in the soil in an oil palm agroecosystem

A study on the fate of fluroxypyr in Malaysian agricultural soils was carried out under natural conditions in an oil palm plantation. Three experimental plots in the oil palm estate were selected and three types of treatments were administered, namely fluroxypyr at the recommended dosage, double the recommended rate, and the untreated control. Residues of fluroxypyr in the soil, water, and oil palm leaf were monitored at regular intervals up to 90 days after treatment (DAT). The recovery of fluroxypyr in the water and soil samples ranged from 91–102% when fortified at 1–25 p.p.b. and 91–98% when fortified at 4–50 p.p.b. The recovery from the oil palm leaf ranged from 76–114% when the oil palm leaf sample was fortified at 0.05–1.0 p.p.m. The results showed that fluroxypyr leached down to 50 cm depth at 1 DAT when the plots were treated with either dosage. However, fluroxypyr was not detected in the soil residue at 14 and 21 DAT. Fluroxypyr was not detected in the oil palm leaf samples irrespective of the rates of herbicide application or sampling intervals. The residue of fluroxypyr was detected in water from a nearby stream up to 5 DAT at levels ranging from 0.06–0.21 µg L⁻¹. This result suggests that fluroxypyr persists for a short period in the soil and water ecosystems, but not in the oil palm leaf.     

Biological features and life table parameters of the mealy plum aphidHyalopterus pruni on different apricot cultivars

Development, survival, reproduction rate, and population growth parameters of the mealy plum aphidHyalopterus pruni (Geoffroy) (Hom.: Aphididae) were evaluated on four different apricot cultivars (Tyrinte, Sakıt, Colomer, and Bebeco) under field conditions in the Van region of Turkey. Experiments were carried out on exterior leaves of trees, 1.5–2 m above the ground. Plexiglas clip-cells (25×6 mm) with the upper side covered by muslin were used in the experiments. The mealy plum aphid performed better on Tyrinte than on the other cultivars tested. The fastest development time (first instar to adult; 9.4 days), highest daily reproduction rate (2.6 offspring/aphid/day), and highest total fecundity (48.1 offspring/aphid) were obtained on Tyrinte. The intrinsic rate of increase — a good indicator of the growth potential of a population — of individuals fed on Tyrinte was significantly greater than that of individuals fed on cvs. Colomer and Bebeco. While mean generation times (T _o ) of populations on different cultivars were close to each other, the net reproductive rate was the highest (29.45 offspring/aphid/generation) on Tyrinte and the population doubling time on Tyrinte was 18.7%, 25.2% and 26.3% faster than those of individuals on other cultivars tested. The results obtained in this study indicated that Tyrinte appeared to be the most susceptible to the mealy plum aphid among the cultivars tested. http://www.phytoparasitica.org. posting Nov. 23, 2004.     

Phytotoxicity on cotton ex-plants of an 18.5 kDa protein from culture filtrates of Verticillium dahliae

A phytotoxic protein that evokes the typical symptoms of Verticillium wilt disease in seedlings of Gossypium hirsutum L. (Upland cotton) was isolated from culture filtrates of Verticillium dahliae. The protein was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex-G100 fractionation, and native PAGE. The 18.5 kDa protein, designated VD18.5, appears to be a single subunit protein with an isoelectric point between 3 and 5. VD18.5 induces symptoms of leaf dehydration, chlorosis, necrosis and stem discoloration in seedlings of the disease susceptible cotton cultivar Siokra 1–4. The LD₅₀ of VD18.5 on protoplasts of Siokra 1–4 was 18 μg mL⁻¹. VD18.5 had no noticeable effect on Pima S-7, which is a disease resistant cultivar. Phytotoxic activity was partially destroyed at high temperature and was abolished by digestion with proteinase K. Mass spectrometry fingerprinting and protein sequence data from VD18.5 yielded no significant matches when submitted to the Mascot search engine and NCBI non-redundant protein databases, respectively. These results suggest that VD18.5 is a novel protein that may be involved in the development of some of the symptoms associated with Verticillium wilt disease in the cotton plant.     

In ovo embryotoxicity of α-endosulfan adversely influences liver and brain metabolism and the immune system in chickens

There is a lack of laboratory-based embryonic chicken toxicity studies with the ecologically relevant low dose/s of endosulfan that utilizes a more practical approach such as the chorioallontoic membrane (CAM) injection. In this investigation, 2μg AR grade α-endosulfan/egg (40% of LD₅₀ for embryos) was injected through the CAM in 12-day-old chicken embryos and the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase, EC 3.1.3.9), fructose 1,6-diphosphatase (FDPase, EC 3.1.3.11), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase, EC 3.6.1.3) and succinic dehydrogenase (SDH, EC 1.3.99.1) and DNA and RNA content in liver and brain tissues and acetyl cholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) in the latter were determined at 24, 48, and 72 h post-exposure. The wet weight of the embryos did not differ between groups. Following endosulfan exposure, except increase in the hepatic ATPase activity (P < 0.01), there was a significant decrease in the following parameters: G6Pase activity in both the liver and brain (P < 0.01), SDH activity in the brain (P < 0.01), brain overall DNA and RNA concentration (P < 0.05), brain AChE activity (P < 0.01). Exposure of 18-day-old embryos to 2-μg endosulfan for 24 h caused decrease (P < 0.01) in the lymphocyte count and IgG content. Histopathology of thymus and bursa of Fabricius revealed a reduction in the population of thymic follicles, smaller thymocytes with the clear vacuoles in cytoplasm and fewer bursocytes accompanied by infiltration of erythrocytes in lymphoid follicles of the endosulfan-treated embryos. It was inferred that in ovo injection of 0.041 μg/g egg weight of α-endosulfan suppress gluconeogenesis (main energy source in embryonic life), nerve transmission, and immunity.     

The effects of azadirachtin and nucleopolyhedrovirus on midgut enzymatic profile of Spodoptera litura Fab. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effects of azadirachtin (AZA) and nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) on midgut enzyme activity in Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Tobacco cutworm) were evaluated. Gut enzyme activities were decreased by AZA and NPV individually and in combination. When S. litura larvae were fed a diet of castor leaves treated with AZA and NPV in bioassays, gut enzyme—acid phosphatases, alkaline phosphatases, adenosine triphosphatases, and lactate dehydrogenase—activities were decreased. There were statistically significant differences (P ? 0.05) in enzyme activities between combined and individual treatment. A synergistic effect of botanical insecticides and virus was found when combined in low doses. These effects are most pronounced in early instars. Maximum weight loss (59-72%) occurred, when AZA and NPV were combined.     

Kohlfliegenauftreten im Raps

A new pest in oilseed rape the cabbage root fly (Delia radicum L.) has succeded to establish – at least regional –during the recent years. It is not easy to monitor the cabbage root fly. Although the usual yellow water trap works quite well, it is still difficult for the farmers to determine Delia radicum exactly. The amount of infestation can be assessed best in the middle of November by analysing the damages of the roots. In this article a classification scheme is proposed. It is also difficult to control this pest. While applications of Pyrethroids against the imagines and the use of Dimethoat against the larva mostly showed only little effect in the tests, some new dressing-substances proved better against the standard “Chinook” (Imidacloprid+beta-Cyfluthrin). To forward this research and to clarify factors, which influence the infestation, a project titled “Possibilities of defence and control of cabbage root fly in winter oilseed rape” has been started in November 2003. Eight crop-protection services at German Federal State level and the BBA are involved in this project, which is supported by UFOP.     

Effect of infections with barley yellow dwarf virus and Fusarium spp. on assimilation of 14CO2 by flag leaves and translocation of photosynthates in wheat

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The effects of infections of Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum alone as well as double infections of BYDV and...     

5种国兰( Cymbidium ) 的光合特性

 通过气体交换和叶绿素荧光分析等方法研究了5种国兰(Cymbidium ) 的光合特性。其光饱和点、光补偿点、CO₂ 补偿点和CO₂ 饱和点表明它们具有C3 植物特征; 光合速率在3.0 ～5.9 μmol·m^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}之间, 在低于2 000 μmol·mol^{- 1} CO₂ 浓度下, 光合速率受CO₂ 浓度影响较大; 5种国兰的光合能力、表观量子效率、羧化效率等都有所差异; 光饱和点在350～650μmol·m^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}之间, 属于喜阴植物,其中春兰、建兰耐阴性相对较低, 墨兰、春剑耐阴性相对较高, 蕙兰居中。从暗处暴露到强光下, 5种国兰的光化学反应启动差异较大, 启动后的光化学效率差异也较大, 这可能与国兰不同种起源地的生态环境,适应性及进化有关。     

花椰菜新品种———津品55

 ‘津品55’为秋中早熟花椰菜一代杂种, 成熟期约60 d, 内叶合抱护球, 花球较紧, 洁白,单球质量1.0 kg左右, 产量30000 kg/hm² 左右, 比对照品种‘丰花60’增产26.0% ～43.3% , 生长势强,抗病性好。     

番茄不同部位中糖含量和相关酶活性的研究

 试验将番茄光合产物运转途径上叶片(源) 、运输系统以及果实(库) 区分开, 分别测定其糖的组成和含量以及糖代谢相关酶的活性。结果表明: 番茄光合产物运转途径上从“源”到“库”各部位糖的组成和含量不同。叶肉中果糖的含量最高, 蔗糖的含量最低; 中筋中以果糖和葡萄糖为主; 叶柄维管束中葡萄糖含量最高, 蔗糖含量次之, 果糖含量最低。节间和果柄维管束中主要含有蔗糖。果实维管束以及果实内各部位中则主要含有葡萄糖和果糖, 且两者含量无显著差异, 蔗糖含量很低。萼片中葡萄糖含量最高, 蔗糖含量最低; 果蒂中3种糖含量均较高且无显著差异。番茄叶肉及光合产物运转组织中转化酶活性很低, 而在库器官的非维管组织中转化酶活性较高。果蒂中的蔗糖合成酶( SS) 活性最高, 其次是叶肉和运转组织, 果实内各部位中SS活性较低。在合成蔗糖的器官—叶肉中, 有较高的蔗糖磷酸合成酶( SPS) 活性, 运转组织中的SPS活性较叶肉中降低, 但果柄维管束和果实维管束中则表现出较高SPS活性, 果肉、果胶质胎座及心室隔壁中的SPS活性最低。