Structure—activity relationships of pyridylcarbamates active against both benzimidazole-sensitive and -resistant isolates of Botrytis cinerea

A series of pyridylcarbamates showed high potency against cucumber gray mould (Botrytis cinerea Pers.). The most potent compound, propargyl-N-(6-ethyl-5-iodo-2-pyridyl)carbamate was effective against an isolate sensitive to benzimidazole and dicarboximide fungicides as well as against an isolate resistant to both types of compound. QSAR analyses and molecular modelling studies were carried out to investigate the structural requirements for highly active compounds and the structural feature of the binding site of each strain. Significantly different QSAR equations were obtained only for substituents at the 6-position of the pyridine ring. An ethyl-sized pocket or an ethyl terminal recognition was suggested in the case of the sensitive or resistant isolate respectively. These results could explain the phenomenon of negatively correlated cross-resistance between benzimidazoles and N-phenylcarbamate fungicides. Substituent effects at the 5- or 2-position were governed by steric factors. Substituent effects at the 3-position were explained by steric hindrance or by conformational effects. The propargyl-substituted compound above was the most desirable one from the viewpoint of QSAR.     

Relationships between the damage to radish caused by the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans, its density prior to cultivation and the soil nematode community structure evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

A preliminary survey using 20 conventionally farmed fields in which fumigants have been applied every year showed that the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans was distributed both in the upper (0–30 cm) and lower (30–60 cm) soil layers. In six of the 20 fields, P. penetrans was detected in the lower layers exclusively, suggesting that the most appropriate depth to sample soil is 0–60 cm to estimate the relationship between the density of P. penetrans and its damage to radish. There was a highly significant correlation ( r  = 0.923) between the density of P. penetrans in the 0–60 cm depth and the number of spots on a radish. No damage to radish was observed in soils with <2.5 individuals of P. penetrans per 20 g soil before cultivation. However, in cases in which the density of P. penetrans was 3.4–6.2 individuals per 20 g soil, the number of spots on a radish showed more variation (0–131.5 per radish) and there was no significant correlation between them. The nematode community structure of soils with 3.4–8 individuals of P. penetrans per 20 g soil, evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, was significantly different ( anova , PC2, P  <   0.05) between soils with low (0–42) and high (more than 80) damage levels, suggesting that radish damage might be predicted on the basis of the prevailing soil nematode community structure.     

水稻RFLP连锁图谱的构建及控制小穗不育和花粉不育的QTL分析

用台中65(粳稻)/ARC10313(籼稻)的重组近交系(F10)构建了RFLP连锁图谱, 含113个分布均匀的标记. 作成的图谱覆盖全基因组, 全图总长1462.4 cM, 图中标记位置与所使用的参照图谱基本符合. 利用该重组自交家系材料与亲本台中65回交得到BF1家系, 用于对小穗不育和花粉不育的QTL分析, 检测出3个小穗不育和1个花粉不育QTL, 且有一     

Mechanism of action and selectivity of a novel herbicide,fenquinotrione

Fenquinotrione is a novel herbicide that can control a wide range of broadleaf and sedge weeds with excellent rice selectivity. We revealed that fenquinotrione potently inhibited the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) activity in Arabidopsis thaliana with an IC₅₀ of 44.7 nM. The docking study suggested that the 1,3-diketone moiety of fenquinotrione formed a bidentate interaction with Fe(II) at the active site. Furthermore, π–π stacking interactions occurred between the oxoquinoxaline ring and the conserved Phe409 and Phe452 rings, indicating that fenquinotrione competes with the substrate, similar to existing HPPD inhibitors. A more than 16-fold difference in the herbicidal activity of fenquinotrione in rice and the sedge, Schoenoplectus juncoides, was observed. However, fenquinotrione showed high inhibitory activity against rice HPPD. Comparative metabolism study suggested that the potent demethylating metabolism followed by glucose conjugation in rice was responsible for the selectivity of fenquinotrione.     

Participatory system for water management in the Toyogawa Irrigation Project, Japan

In principle, participatory irrigation management (PIM) means the involvement of irrigation users in all aspects at all levels of irrigation management. In practice, all over the world efforts are being made to realize the principles. However, in the execution of PIM, role sharing between farmers and government is a serious problem, and thus a clear method and ideas are needed to improve PIM. In particular, a broad discussion of role sharing is demanded. This article illustrates how the Japanese way of role sharing in PIM is realized based on the case of the Toyogawa Irrigation Project. Organizationally, the project is jointly managed by five entities, including both the public sector and the farmers’ organizations. These entities have clearly divided their functional roles, with the ultimate decision power in all aspects of irrigation management given to organized farmers. The power is realized either directly or through the land improvement districts’ representative system depending on the levels of the irrigation system. The public entity provides coordination support to create a transparent forum of discussion together with scientific information for farmers’ understanding and decision making. The participatory institutional line-up of this project enables the upland areas that suffered periodically from water deficits.     

Gibberella ear rot of corn caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium asiaticum</Emphasis> in Japan

Ear rot with white or pink mold was found on corn (Zea mays L.). A species of Fusarium, not registered previously as a pathogen causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan, was isolated from the rotted ear. The isolates, identified as F. asiaticum based on morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequences, caused white or pink mold on corn ear after inoculation. Moreover, the 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol chemotype and the nivalenol chemotype were found in the isolates. We propose to include F. asiaticum as one of the pathogens causing Gibberella ear rot of corn in Japan.     

Growth of juvenile chub mackerel Scomber japonicus in the western North Pacific Ocean: with application and validation of otolith daily increment formation

The growth of juvenile chub mackerel Scomber japonicus collected in the western North Pacific Ocean in 2007 and 2009 was examined based on the evidence of otolith daily increment formation in captive specimens. There was a significant difference in the relationship between known age and number of increments in the frontal and sagittal planes. Repeated markings on the otolith using Alizarin complexone and the coefficient of variation in number of increments suggest that the increments in the frontal plane of the otolith are more suitable for age estimation than those in the long and short axes of the sagittal plane. The increments in the frontal plane formed daily, and the first ring was usually deposited 3 days after hatch. Age of wild juveniles ranged from 24 to 211 days after hatch based on the frontal plane method. The estimated hatching periods of specimens ranged from February to June, but the April-hatched specimens were collected throughout the sampling periods of 2007 and 2009. The Gompertz growth model showed a difference in growth pattern in specimens between 2007 and 2009. The juveniles in 2009 appeared to grow more quickly than those in 2007 until summer, but thereafter the 2009 specimens seemed to grow more slowly.     

Study on the pathogenesis of foreign body granulomatous inflammation in the livers of sprague-dawley rats

Focal granulomatous inflammation developed in the livers of five 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. The characteristic features of this lesion were the presence of foreign body multinucleated giant cells engulfing calcium deposits and site-specific development in a fissure formed in a sub-lobation in the left lobe or interlobar fissure of the medial lobe of the liver. To clarify the pathogenesis of this lesion, rat livers showing abnormal sub-lobation or lobar atrophy, rat livers in an acute dermal toxicity study and guinea pig livers in a skin sensitization test were also examined histologically. Consequently, the present lesion was considered to be a reactive change against calcium that was dystrophically deposited in the area of hepatocellular necrosis due to delayed circulatory disturbance caused by external pressure or extension force. Granulomatous lesions like in the present cases should be differentiated from those caused by evident exogenous pathogens such as chemicals or microorganisms.