Footsteps from Insect Larvae Damage Leaf Surfaces and Initiate Rapid Responses

Plant resistance to insect herbivory involves gene expression in response to wounding and the detection of insect elicitors in oral secretions (Kessler and Baldwin, 2002, Ann. Rev. Plant/ Biol. 53: 299–328). However, crawling insect larvae stimulate the synthesis of 4-aminobutyrate within minutes and imprints of larval footsteps can be visualized within seconds through superoxide production or transient increases in chlorophyll fluorescence (Bown et al., 2002, Plant Physiol. 129: 1430–1434). Here cryo-scanning electron microscopy was used to demonstrate that larval feet, which are equipped with a perimeter row of hook-like crochets, damage leaf tissue and result in larval footprints. Staining for cell death shows that areas of wounding correspond to footsteps detected through increased chlorophyll fluorescence. Superoxide production in response to footsteps was inhibited by diphenyleneiodonium, an inhibitor of the plasma membrane NADPH oxidase enzyme. Inhibition of superoxide production, however, did not eliminate the detection of cell death. The results demonstrate that larval footsteps damage leaf tissue, and initiate rapid local responses which are not dependent on herbivory or oral secretions. It is proposed that superoxide production at the wound site prevents opportunistic pathogen infection.     

Wind-mediated spread of Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) in irrigated rice crops

A study was carried out to demonstrate that Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), a virus known to be transmitted by beetles, can spread between rice plants by direct leaf contact caused by wind. Almost all healthy plants surrounding an infected plant became infected when exposed to a fan blowing for 15 min at a distance of 50 cm. Spread of RYMV by plant contact, mediated by wind, was also demonstrated in field experiments, the extent of spread depending on plant density. Infection was almost 10 times higher in plots with a density of 33 plants m⁻² than in plots with 16 plants m⁻². Less spread was observed in plots protected by 1·5 m high windscreens. It is suggested that wind-mediated spread of RYMV may result from abrasive contact between leaves of plants.     

Biology of a new virus isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants in Alaska

A new virus named Nootka lupine vein-clearing virus (NLVCV) was isolated from Lupinus nootkatensis plants that were confined to a relatively small area in the Talkeetna mountains of south-central Alaska. Annual surveys (2000–03) consistently found leaf symptoms of pronounced vein clearing and mosaic on 3- to 4-week-old plants in late June. Spherical particles ≈30 nm in diameter were isolated from these leaves. Virions contained a single-stranded RNA of ≈4·0–4·2 kb and one species of capsid protein estimated to be ≈40 kDa. The double-stranded RNA profile from naturally infected leaves consisted of three major bands ≈4·2, 1·9 and 1·5 kbp. Protein extractions from either sap or virions of diseased plants reacted to polyclonal antiserum made against the virions in Western blot assays. A predicted PCR product ≈500 bp was synthesized from virion RNA using primers specific to the carmovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) gene. The nucleotide sequence of the amplified DNA did not match any known virus, but contained short regions of identity to several carmoviruses. Only species belonging to the Fabaceae were susceptible to NLVCV by mechanical inoculation. Based on dsRNA profile, size of virion RNA genome and capsid protein, and similarity of the RDRP gene to that of other carmoviruses, it is suggested that NLVCV is a member of the family Tombusviridae , and tentatively of the genus Carmovirus . As the host range, RDRP gene and dsRNA profile of NLVCV are different from those of known viruses, this is a newly described plant virus.     

Analysis of High Reproductivity on Wild Yak Bull

Sperm concentration of wild yak bull is 2. 13 billion per milliliter. Survival time at 0-4 ℃ is 57hrs. After thawing survival time at 37 ℃ is 12 hrs. Resistance coefficient is 144,000. Abnormal sperm rate and acrosomal integrated rate of post-thawing is 9.17% and 87.53% respectively. Moving viscosity is 1. 169 cp. Total nitrogen is 1 437.7 mg/100 ml. Head of sperm is significantly shorter and end piece is significantly longer than that of domestic yak and yellow cattle. Activity of hyaluronidase is highly stronger than the domestic yak,and the activity of LDH is higher than the domestic yak by 48 %. Hence,the fertility of the wild yak bull is powerful and the artificial inseminated rate with domestic yak and yellow cattle is 88.9% and 71.58% respectively.     

肉仔鸡低血糖-尖峰死亡综合征的流行病学分析和病原初探

自2003年6月份以来，在我国北方肉鸡饲养基地普遍流行了一种主要侵害肉仔鸡的疾病，低血糖-尖峰死亡综合征(HSMS)。HSMS发病日龄集中于10～18日龄．临床表现为突然出现的高死亡率，病鸡头部震颤、运动失调、昏迷、失明、死亡。先后对黑龙江、吉林、辽宁、内蒙古、天津、河北、山东等省进行调查．发现HSMS在这几个省的很多肉鸡饲养区广泛存在。对发生该病的259个肉鸡饲养户的调查结果显示．该病与祖代种鸡没有关系．病原可能来自受污染的父母代种鸡场。平均发病率为17．9％。发病鸡群血糖浓度极显著的下降。从2个发病鸡群的病鸡肠道内容物中观察到病毒颗粒．病毒呈多形性．有囊膜，直径约80-100nm，表面有棒状纤突，长约10-20nm．与冠状病毒类似。