Evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of Populus euphratica Oliv forest during the growing season in the extreme arid region northwest China

Based on successive observation, fifteen-day evapotranspiration (ET_c) of Populus euphratica Oliv forest, in the extreme arid region northwest China, was estimated by application of Bowen ratio-energy balance method (BREB) during the growing season in 2005. During the growing season in 2005, total ET_c was 446.96 mm. From the beginning of growing season, the ET_c increased gradually, and reached its maximum value of 6.724 mm d⁻¹ in the last fifteen days of June. Hereafter the ET_c dropped rapidly, and reached its minimum value of 1.215 mm d⁻¹ at the end of growing season. The variation pattern of crop coefficient (K_c) was similar to that of ET_c. From the beginning of growing season, the K_c value increased rapidly, and reached its maximum value of 0.623 in the last fifteen days of June. Afterward, with slowing growth of P. euphratica, the value dropped rapidly to the end of growing season. According to this study, the ET_c of P. euphratica forest is affected not only by meteorological factors, but by water content in soil.     

A mathematical model for border irrigation II. Vertical and horizontal recession phases

Summary This paper, second in a series of three, develops a mathematical model, using the volume balance approach, to simulate vertical and horizontal recession of border irrigation. An equation is proposed for computing Manning's roughness factor N in both laminar and transitional flow regimes in recession phases. The model has four parameters which can be determined experimentally. Experimental data from ten vegetated as well as nonvegetated borders were used to verify the model. Average difference (AD) between calculated and observed vertical recession times was less than 4.4 min, and between calculated and observed horizontal recession times less than 4.6 min for the ten experimental data sets. Average relative error (ARE) in computed horizontal recession was less than 13% for these data sets. The model was found to be especially accurate for Reynold's number between 1,800 and 2,500.     

Screening of cotton germplasm for resistance to Verticillium dahlia Kleb. under greenhouse and field conditions

Currently, the most effective and economically feasible means of controlling Verticillium wilt is to grow wilt-resistant cultivars. Nevertheless, resistant germplasm lines that are able to overcome this detrimental disease remain rare. Hence, we aimed to identify high-quality germplasm lines that exhibit high resistance, to address the dearth in optimum production. Our field and greenhouse studies showed significant variation among all tested germplasm lines with respect to wilt-assessment parameters. Highly resistant or resistant germplasm included 1421Bt-4133, O Siv2, Arcot-1, and GP93; Zhong 21371 and Yumian 2067 were moderately responsive; and Arcot402bne, Arcot438, Xinluzao-3, and Jimian11 were highly susceptible to wilt. Overall, germplasm line 1421Bt-4133 appeared to be an ideal material with strong resistance potential against V. dahliae. The germplasm lines O Siv2, Arcot-1, GP93, Zhong 21371, and Yumian 2067 showed variability in resistance potential in artificially or naturally-infested soil. This variability may be due to the genetic potential of the plants and to the adaptability of V. dahliae. We determined that the 1421Bt-4133 germplasm line was ideal, as it demonstrated resistance diversity against V. dahliae in all observed wilt-assessment parameters. The results of this study contribute to the understanding of viable germplasm lines for improving cotton production. The resistant germplasm lines uncovered in this study may provide new disease resistance sources in the breeding program.     

Identification and expression pattern of a glutathione S‐transferase in Echinochloa crus‐galli

Plant glutathione S‐transferase (GST) forms a major part of the herbicide detoxification enzyme network in plants. A GST cDNA was isolated from Echinochloa crus‐galli and characterised. The gene, designated EcGST1 (E. crus‐galli GeneBank no: JX518596 ), has a 684 bp open reading frame predicted to encode a 25 kD protein. Sequence alignment showed that EcGST1 is a GST homologue. Its expression in response to quinclorac treatment was monitored in seedlings (leaves and roots) and adult plants (leaves, roots, stems and seeds) of quinclorac‐resistant (R) and susceptible (S) biotypes of E. crus‐galli. EcGST1 expression was 1.5–3 times greater in the R plants than in the S plants. However, after exposure to quinclorac, the difference in the expression levels of EcGST1 in R plants, compared with S plants, increased to a ratio of 6–10. Enhanced EcGST1 levels should enable greater quinclorac detoxification following quinclorac stimulation in R plants. GST‐based metabolism may be partially responsible for resistance to quinclorac in E. crus‐galli. The results suggest a new resistance mechanism for this R biotype in Chinese rice fields.     

Interactions between the striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis (Walk.) (Lep., Pyralidae) larvae and rice plants in response to nitrogen fertilization

A screenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the damage and compensation in rice plants when injured by the striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), larvae at tillering stage, as well as larval survival and development of the insect at different nitrogen (N) fertilization levels. Potted plants were fertilized at late seedling stage at the rates 0, 200, 400, 600 and 800mgN/pot, respectively. More deadheads were caused as fertilization increased. Plants compensated well for injury at the fertilization concentrations of 200 and 400mgN/pot by producing new tillers, but such compensation did not take place at 600 and 800mgN/pot. Two weeks after infestation, the highest number of remaining healthy tillers was found in plants fertilized at 400mgN/pot. Larval survival varied little among the treatments 200 to 800mgN/pot. Larval weight attainment and/or developmental rate increased with increasing fertilization level from 200 to 600mgN/pot, but both declined rapidly as fertilization reached 800mgN/pot, indicating the great dependence of plant suitability on N fertilization levels. Conclusively, both the compensation response of rice plants and their suitability for C. suppressalis larvae could be significantly affected by N fertilization levels.     

Interactions between the striped stem borer Chilo suppressalis (Walk.) (Lep., Pyralidae) larvae and rice plants in response to nitrogen fertilization

A screenhouse experiment was conducted to examine the damage and compensation in rice plants when injured by the striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker), larvae at tillering stage, as well as larval survival and development of the insect at different nitrogen (N) fertilization levels. Potted plants were fertilized at late seedling stage at the rates 0, 200, 400, 600 and 800mgN/pot, respectively. More deadheads were caused as fertilization increased. Plants compensated well for injury at the fertilization concentrations of 200 and 400mgN/pot by producing new tillers, but such compensation did not take place at 600 and 800mgN/pot. Two weeks after infestation, the highest number of remaining healthy tillers was found in plants fertilized at 400mgN/pot. Larval survival varied little among the treatments 200 to 800mgN/pot. Larval weight attainment and/or developmental rate increased with increasing fertilization level from 200 to 600mgN/pot, but both declined rapidly as fertilization reached 800mgN/pot, indicating the great dependence of plant suitability on N fertilization levels. Conclusively, both the compensation response of rice plants and their suitability for C. suppressalis larvae could be significantly affected by N fertilization levels.     

Genetic diversity of sulfonylurea-resistant and -susceptible Monochoria vaginalis populations in Japan

Monochoria vaginalis is one of the most serious weeds of rice fields in Asia. The species is predominantly selfing. To reveal the potential for multiple mutational events, outcrossing and gene flow in the sulfonylurea‐resistant (SU‐R) M. vaginalis populations, we investigated (i) if each SU‐R population was a single SU‐R biotype or a mixture of several SU‐R biotypes using restriction analysis or direct sequencing of acetolacatate synthase (ALS) genes and (ii) genetic diversity of SU‐R and ‐susceptible (S) populations using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. Nineteen or 20 individuals were sampled from four SU‐R and five SU‐S populations respectively. Amino acid substitutions conferring resistance in the SU‐R populations were Pro₁₉₇Ser in the ALS1 or ALS3, or Asp₃₇₆Glu in the ALS1 and each SU‐R population was composed of a single SU‐R biotype. In cluster analysis each SU‐R individual formed a cluster, whereas the individuals from a SU‐S population belonged to different clusters. Some SU‐R populations showed polymorphic AFLP loci. The results indicated that these SU‐R biotypes emerged from a single mutational event and any gene flow of SU‐R genes from adjacent populations did not occur. A low level of outcrossing and recombinations of SU‐R genes occurred within some SU‐R populations of M. vaginalis.     

Rapid detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi using PCR with primers derived from the Lpv putative storage protein genes

Phytophthora cinnamomi is an ecologically and economically important pathogen. In this study, PCR assays were developed with primer pair LPV2 or LPV3 for rapid detection and identification of this organism. Both primer pairs were selected from putative storage protein genes. The specificity of these primer pairs was evaluated against 49 isolates of P. cinnamomi , 102 isolates from 30 other Phytophthora spp., 17 isolates from nine Pythium spp. and 43 isolates of other water moulds, bacteria and true fungi. PCR with both primer pairs amplified the DNA from all isolates of P. cinnamomi regardless of origin. The LPV3 primers showed adequate specificity among all other species tested. The LPV2 primers cross-reacted with some species of Pythium and true fungi, but not with any other Phytophthora species. PCR with the LPV3 primers detected the pathogen at levels of a single chlamydospore or 10 zoospores in repeated tests. The PCR assay was at least 10 times more sensitive than the plating method for detection of the pathogen from artificially infested soilless medium, and, to a lesser extent, from naturally infected plants. PCR with LPV3 primers can be a useful tool for detecting P. cinnamomi from soilless media and plant tissues at ornamental nurseries, whereas the LPV2 primers can be an effective alternative for identification of this species from pure culture. Applications of these assays for detection of P. cinnamomi in other environments were also discussed.     

Assessment of cytoplasmic effects of cytoplasmic male-sterile lines in upland cotton

Paired A- and B-lines, cytoplasmic male-sterile (CMS)-lines and main-tainer lines, respectively, were crossed with R-lines (restorer) to produce A × R, R × B and B × R hybrids, which were used in 1993 and 1996 to predict the performance of three lypes of CMS cotton lines available in China. A significant difference in yield and yield components was revealed between paired A × R and B × R hybrids. This difference was greatly influenced by both CMS cytoplasm and the interaction between cytoplasm and nuclear genotypes. It is suggested that there are detrimental effects of CMS cytoplasm on yield and yield components. General combining ability of near-isogenic CMS lines was also affected by this negative effect. The detrimental effect was closely related to an increased number of immature seeds per boll, which might be caused by partial female sterility associated with CMS cytoplasm. The possibility of developing specific combinations of CMS Upland × Upland restorer hybrids that express enough heterosis for yield to overcome the detrimental effect of the CMS cytoplasm is discussed.