Comparison of Chinese and Japanese A1 isolates of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis>

The mating type, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (Gpi) and peptidase (Pep) genotypes, RG57 fingerprint, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype of Chinese isolates of Phytophthora infestans collected in Hebei and Gansu in 1996 were compared with those of Japanese isolates collected during 1997–2000. The Chinese isolates were divided into four genotypes, one of which was identical to the dominant Japanese genotype, A1-A (mating type A1; Gpi 100/100; Pep 100/100; RG57 100010001100110100011001110: 1–25, 14a, and 24a; and mtDNA haplotype IIa). Comparison of the genotypes with reported data revealed that some completely and partially identical genotypes occur in Russia and parts of Europe. The other two A1 genotypes and one A2 genotype were also detected in Gansu (Gpi 100/100, Pep 100/100, and mtDNA haplotype Ia), which were regarded as unique to this region.     

Transgenic Nicotiana occidentalis Plants Expressing the 50-kDa Protein of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus Display Increased Susceptibility to Homologous Virus, but Strong Resistance to Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus

ABSTRACT The 50-kDa protein (P50) encoded by the open reading frame 2 of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV), a putative movement protein, was expressed in transgenic Nicotiana occidentalis plants. P50 in transgenic plants was mainly detected in a modified form in the cell wall fraction, similar to that in infected leaves. The P50-expressing plants (P50 plants) complemented the systemic spread of the P50-defective mutants of an infectious cDNA clone of ACLSV (pCLSF), indicating that P50 in transgenic plants was functional. Severity of symptoms was greatly enhanced and accumulation of virus in upper leaves was increased in P50 plants inoculated with pCLSF or ACLSV compared with that in nontransgenic control plants (NT plants). Conversely, transgenic plants expressing the coat protein of ACLSV (CP plants) showed a significant delay in symptom development and a reduction of virus accumulation. However, most P50 plants inoculated with Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus (GINV), another species of the genus Trichovirus, neither developed obvious symptoms nor supported virus accumulation in inoculated or upper leaves. In contrast, systemic symptoms developed and virus accumulated equally in NT and CP plants inoculated with GINV. After inoculation with Apple stem grooving virus or Apple stem pitting virus, there was no difference in symptom development and virus accumulation among P50, CP, and NT plants. Our results indicate that transgenic plants expressing a functional P50 were more susceptible to homologous virus and, on the contrary, showed strong resistance to the heterologous virus GINV.     

Factor analysis of risk-taking behavior in forest work

In this study, the data obtained by a questionnaire survey were analyzed to examine the difference with the type of occupation, consistency in each situation, the inductive and restraint factors of the risk-taking behavior in the forest work to elucidate the risk-taking behavior in forest work. The results showed that (1) the Kyushu Forest Cooperative Association’s staff members underestimate the risk, but have a strong recognition of “law observance,” (2) the supervisor or instructor has low consciousness of risk, (3) as the inductive factor of behavior, one’s own benefit in the daily situation is given the highest priority, but risk is the most important factor in situations concerning forest work and forest machine operation and handling, irrespective of the accuracy of the risk evaluation, (4) as the restraint factor of behavior, although there is a difference in the risk evaluation whether large or small, risk is given priority by all workers, and (5) the dare probability of each risk-taking behavior is highly correlated with the risk evaluation of the behavior. Among others, low consciousness of the supervisor or instructor concerning safety management is pointed out as a main factor in worker’s accidents, and reconsideration of the relationship between the supervisor or instructor and workers is necessary.     

Association between root growth angle and root length density of a near-isogenic line of IR64 rice with DEEPER ROOTING 1 under different levels of soil compaction

DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1) of rice controls the gravitropic response of root growth angle. In order to clarify the effects of DRO1 on root growth angle and root length density under different soil resistance to penetration, and to quantify the relationship between root growth angle and root length density, we assessed the root growth of Dro1-NIL (a near-isogenic line homozygous for the Kinandang Patong allele of DRO1 in the IR64 background) under upland Andosol field conditions in Japan in 2013 and 2014. The trial included three levels of soil compaction (none, moderate, and hard). Root length density at a depth of 30 to 60 cm was largest in Kinandang Patong, followed by Dro1-NIL, and was least in IR64 in both years and in all compaction treatments. Root length density at this depth decreased with hard compaction (to 70% of control) and increased with moderate compaction (to 135%). The number of roots with a deep angle (i.e. 45° to 90° from the horizontal) measured by the basket method was similar at maximum tillering and maturity stages, and its value as a proportion of the total number of roots was strongly correlated with the root length density at 30 to 60 cm in both years, which demonstrates the importance of a deep root angle for the development of deep roots. Dro1-NIL had a higher proportion of deep roots than IR64, but the difference was small under hard compaction, with a significant genotype × compaction interaction.     

Near-isogenic lines of IR64 (Oryza sativa subsp. indica cv.) introgressed with DEEPER ROOTING 1 and STELE TRANSVERSAL AREA 1 improve rice yield formation over the background parent across three water management regimes

Three near-isogenic lines (NILs) of Oryza sativa subsp. indica cv. IR64 (Dro1-NIL, Sta1-NIL, Dro1+Sta1-NIL) with DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1), a novel gene for steeper root growth angle, and/or with Stele Transversal Area 1 (Sta1), a QTL for wider stele area, were tested under flooded lowland (FL), alternate wetting and drying lowland (AWD), and rainfed upland (UP) conditions in 2013 and 2014 to compare the effects of DRO1 and Sta1 on yield across different water management regimes. Genotypic variation and water management effects were significant for grain yield, aboveground biomass, and harvest index, as well as their interactions with year, but no significant genotype × water interaction was detected. Dro1-NIL had 14% higher yield than that of IR64 across the three water conditions due to higher harvest index, aboveground biomass, leaf area index, and number of grains. Sta1 tended to reduce the carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C), leading to a higher harvest index of Sta1-NIL than that of IR64, but grain yield was not increased. Dro1+Sta1-NIL had the highest fraction of intercepted radiation, cumulative radiation interception, and panicle number, with a small but insignificant yield improvement over IR64, but the combination of DRO1 and Sta1 did not surpass the increment from the effects of DRO1 alone. AWD in the more rainy year 2014 attained both higher water productivity and higher biomass, with significant water by year interaction for water productivity. Genotypic variation in water productivity was related with higher leaf area index and fraction interception, with Dro1-NIL larger than in IR64 and Sta1-NIL.     

MiFish metabarcoding: a high-throughput approach for simultaneous detection of multiple fish species from environmental DNA and other samples

Fisheries Science - We reviewed the current methodology and practices of the DNA metabarcoding approach using a universal PCR primer pair MiFish, which co-amplifies a short fragment of fish DNA...     

Prevalence of hemoplasma infection among cattle in the western part of Japan

We have examined for hemoplasma infection among cattle in the Hiroshima and Miyazaki prefectures by using a sensitive real-time PCR, with SYBR Green I and with melting curve analysis, which allow to distinguish the two bovine hemoplasma species, Mycoplasma wenyonii and 'Candidatus M. haemobos'. We found 69.4% of 36 cattle in Hiroshima and 93.8% of 32 cattle in Miyazaki infected with either of these two hemoplasma species. High morbidity in western part of Japan may reflect the activity of arthropod vectors for hemoplasma transmission. We also demonstrated neonatal calves less than three months old affected with hemoplasmas without grazing in summer, suggesting a possibility of vertical transmission.     

Characterization of new photosynthesis-inhibiting imidazolidine derivatives. 2. Interpretation of pre-emergence herbicidal performance from photosyghesis-inhibiting activity and soil adsorption coefficient

Ruling factors governing pre-emergence herbicidal activity were analysed for 16 photosynthesis-inhibiting 5-hydroxy-3-methyl-2–oxo-imidazolidine-1-carboxamide derivatives. Herbicidal performance was quantified by the reduction in area of experimental weed vegetation, measured by a computer-aided image analysis system. A system for fluorometric estimation of photosynthesis inhibitor concentration in aqueous solution greatly facilitated determination of the soil adsorption coefficients (K_d). Maximum herbicidal performance was found for N-sec-butyl-5-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-oxo-imidazolidine-1-carboxamide, a compound with the second lowest soil adsorptivity and average photosynthesis-inhibiting activity. A multiple regression analysis suggested that herbicidal performance of the soil-applied imidazolidine derivatives was determined by a balance between K_d and photosynthesis-inhibiting activity. In the present experimental system, however, the main influence was attributed to K_d.     

Effect of feeding rice whole crop silage on growth rate,levels of vitamin A, β‐carotene,vitamin E and IGF‐1 in plasma and skeletal muscle protein degradation in Japanese black calves

This study evaluated the effects of rice whole crop silage (RWCS) on growth, plasma levels of vitamin A, β‐carotene, vitamin E and IGF‐1, and expression of genes involved in muscle protein degradation and synthesis in Japanese Black calves. Eleven calves were divided into RWCS (fed RWCS ad libitum and concentrate, n = 5) and control groups (fed hay ad libitum and concentrate, n = 6). Final body weight and dairy gain were significantly larger in the RWCS group compared with the control group. Plasma β‐carotene and vitamin E concentrations were significantly higher in the RWCS group compared with control group. Although plasma vitamin E concentration in the RWCS group significantly increased from 4 to 9 months of age, it did not increase in the control group. At 6 months of age in the RWCS group, ubiquitin B (p < 0.05) and calpain 1 (p = 0.097) mRNA expression were lower than control group, but they were not different between groups at 9 months of age. These results indicate that RWCS increases plasma β‐carotene level and promotes muscle growth because of a decrease in the rate of protein degradation, but the effect is lost with the increase in plasma vitamin E level.