Diversity in phosphorus mobilisation and uptake in ectomycorrhizal fungi

• Introduction   

Phosphorus (P) is often the first or second element limiting aboveground net primary productivity of forests. Besides low available inorganic orthophosphate (Pi) concentrations, soil may contain high total P contents, as insoluble mineral P or as organic P. Most plants form mycorrhizal associations that improve their P nutrition. Three main hypotheses have been proposed to explain this positive effect through an increase of (1) P mobilisation from mineral P, (2) P mobilisation from organic P and (3) soil exploration and P uptake. However, the positive effect of mycorrhizal symbiosis may be variable with the fungal species forming the association. This could be due to the different abilities of mycorrhizal fungi to mobilise P and/or to take up Pi from the soil.     

Effects of NaCl salinity on some leaf nutrient concentrations,non-photochemical quenching and the efficiency of the PSII photochemistry of two Iranian pomegranate varieties under greenhouse and field conditions: Preliminary results

The present research was conducted to study the responses of ‘Malas–e–Saveh’ (M) and ‘Shishe–Kab’ (Sh) Iranian pomegranates to sodium chloride (NaCl) stress under greenhouse and field conditions. Treatments included waters electrical conductivity (EC = 1.5, 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m^?1 for greenhouse) and (EC = 1.05 as control, 4.61 and 7.46 dS m^?1 for field studies). Interactive effects of salinity × variety indicated the highest chlorophyll and leaf potassium concentration, and the lowest leaf chloride and sodium in control under greenhouse study. Non-photochemical quenching, effective quantum yield of photochemical energy conversion in PSII reduced under the highest salinity level in field, however, basal quantum yield of non-photochemical processes in PSII increased in the highest salinity. Sodium and chloride increased with increased in salinity. Calcium, magnesium and iron significantly decreased with increased in salinity. It seems that there are differences between pomegranate cultivars and Malas-e-Saveh is more tolerant compared with Shishe Kab.     

Assessing soil erosion and control factors by the radiometric technique in the Boussouab catchment,Eastern Rif,Morocco

In the Eastern Rif of N Morocco, soil conservation is seriously threatened by water erosion. Large areas of soil have reached an irreversible state of degradation. In this study, the ¹³⁷Cs technique was used to quantify erosion rates and identify the main factors involved in the erosion process based on a representative catchment of the Eastern Rif. To estimate erosion rates in terms of the main factors affecting soil losses, samples were collected taking into account the lithology, slope and land use along six selected transects within the Boussouab catchment. The transects were representative of the main land uses and physiographic characteristics of that Rif sector. The reference inventory for the area was established at a stable, well preserved, matorral site (value of 4250 Bq m^− 2). All the sampling sites were eroded and ¹³⁷Cs inventories varied widely (between 245 and 3670 Bq m^− 2). The effective soil losses were also highly variable (between 5.1 and 48.8 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1). Soil losses varied with land use. The lowest average values were on matorral and fallow land (10.5 and 15.2 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1, respectively) but much higher with alfa vegetation or cereal crops (31.6 and 27.3, respectively). The highest erosion rate was on a badland transect at the more eroded part of the catchment, with rates exceeding 40 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1 and reaching a maximum of 48.8 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1.The average soil losses increased by more than 100% when the slope increased from 10° (17.7 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1) to 25° (40. 8 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1). Similar results were obtained when comparing erosion rates in soils that were covered by matorral with respect to those under cultivation. Lithology was also a key factor affecting soil loss. Soils on marls were more erodible and the average erosion rates reached 29.36 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1, which was twice as high as soils on the glacis and old fluvial terraces (average rates of 14.98 t ha^− 1 yr^− 1). The radiometric approach was very useful to quantify erosion rates and to examine the pattern of soil movement. The analysis of main erosion factors can help to promote rational soil use and establish conservation strategies in the study area.     

Boron fertilization improves seed yield and harvest index of Camelina sativa L. by affecting source-sink

The impact of soil (1, 2 kg ha^?1) and foliar (100, 200 mg L^?1) boron (B) with control (no B) was evaluated on phenology and yield formation of Camelina each applied at stem elongation and flowering stages. Foliar (200 mg L^?1) or soil B (2 kg ha^?1) resulted in earlier flowering and maturity, increased fruit bearing branches (19.68%), number of siliqua, seeds per siliqua (4.6%), biological yield (15%), seed yield (24%), harvest index (11.4%) and oil contents (23%) than no B. Increased fruit bearing branches, seed filled siliqua or seed numbers, harvest index and oil quality can be attributed to changes in dry matter accumulated of stem with simultaneous increase in siliqua dry weight with foliar or soil applied B. In crux, foliar (200 mg L^?1) or soil applied (2 kg ha^?1) B seems promising to improve seed and oil yield, harvest index of Camelina sativa under B deficient condition.     

Effect of nitrogen fertilization on yield and nitrogen and water use efficiencies of winter wheat (durum and bread) varieties grown under conditions found in Central Anatolia

In order to evaluate the influence of different N rates on percent N derived from fertilizer (%Ndff) at different growth stages, on yields and the percent N use efficiency (%NUE) values of two winter wheat varieties (durum and bread), field experiments on fallow were carried out at four different locations in Central Anatolia, in the 1991–1992 and 1992–1993 growing seasons. At each site the rates of N (0, 40, 80 and 120?kg N/ha) were applied as ammonium sulphate [(NH₄)₂SO₄] using a Latin Square experimental design with four replicates. The total amounts of N fertilizer were applied once after seedling emergence at all experimental sites. Labelled (¹⁵NH₄)₂SO₄ fertilizer was applied to sub-plots from which %Ndff values were determined at tillering, booting, grain filling, and harvest stages. Yield sub-plots received unlabelled (NH₄)₂SO₄ from which total dry matter (seed and straw) and N yields were determined. Also the %NUE values were calculated by the ¹⁵N and "difference" methods at the harvest stage. Stored soil moisture at 0–90?cm depth, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency values were calculated as well. The results obtained showed that (1) Gerek-79 variety used both the applied N fertilizer and the available soil moisture more efficiently, (2) the percent NUE values obtained overall were generally less than 20 for both varieties and (3) with the ¹⁵N method, less variable %NUE values were obtained in comparison to the difference method.     

Effect of cadmium,copper and chromium (VI) on the growth of nile water algae

The Algal Assay Procedure Bottle Test was used to investigate the effect of Cd, Cu, and Cr (VI) on the growth of Nile water algae. The results of this investigation indicated that Cd has slight inhibitory effects on algal growth at low concentration (0.05 mg L^?1), while it was inhibiting algal growth at higher concentration (> 1.0 mg L^?1). In contrast, Cu and Cr did not affect algal growth in all investigated concentrations. Combinations of Cd with Cu and Cr seemed to interact synergistically. The synergism between Cd and Cu was more pronounced than between Cd and Cr. Clear changes in the diversity and redundancy of algal structure took place after metal addition. The inhibitory effect of the studied metals was in the following order: Cd-Cu > Cd - Cr > Cd > Cu > Cr.     

Inheritance of race 1.2 Fusarium wilt resistance in four melon cultivars

The resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonis (Fom) race 1.2 has been studied in melons, such as the Portuguese accession ‘BG-5384’ and in the Japanese ‘Shiro Uri Okayama’, ‘Kogane Nashi Makuwa’, and ‘C-211’, since a good characterization of the resistance is necessary before its introgression into commercial varieties. These four melon accessions showed a high level of resistance to races 0, 1, and 2 of Fom, indicating that the partial resistance to the race 1.2 previously detected may not have been race specific. To determine the mode of inheritance of the resistance to Fom race 1.2, the F₁, F₂, BCP_R, and BCP_S generations from the crosses between the four resistant accessions above and ‘Piel de Sapo’, a Fom race 1.2 susceptible melon, were developed. They were subsequently inoculated with two Fom isolates, one from the pathotype 1.2Y and the other from the pathotype 1.2W. The area under the disease progress curve was determined for each inoculated plant, and the data were analyzed. We show that the resistance seen in these accessions is polygenically inherited with a complex genetic control because many epistatic interactions were detected. The three epistatic effects; additivity × additivity, dominance × dominance, and dominance × additivity are present and significant, with differing magnitudes from one cross to the next. The relatively low heritabilities, and these epistatic effects make difficult the improvement of the resistance, from these sources, through a standard selection procedure.