Markers, old and new, for examining Phytophthora infestans diversity

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans , is an ongoing threat to potato and tomato crop production worldwide and considerable fundamental and applied research is conducted with the long-term aim of improved disease control. Understanding the mechanisms, processes and rates of P. infestans evolution is an important factor in predicting the effectiveness and durability of new management practices. A range of phenotypic and genotypic tests has been applied to achieve this goal, but each has limitations and new methods are sought. Recent progress in P. infestans genomics is providing the raw data for such methods and new high-throughput codominant biomolecular markers are currently being developed that have tremendous potential in the study of P. infestans population biology, epidemiology, ecology, genetics and evolution. This paper reviews some key applications, recommends some changes in approach and reports on the status and potential of new and existing methods for probing P. infestans genetic diversity.     

贵州大沙河自然保护区银杉种群结构初步研究

在大沙河自然保护区银杉踏查和设置样地调查的基础上,采用分布系数（Cx）法和扩散指数（Iq）法对银杉种群的结构和空间分布格局进行分析,结果表明,大沙河银杉种群总体上是一种不完全种群,特别是一些中等大小径级缺失使之成为一种不连续种群,但在不同群落银杉种群又表现出一定程序的多元化,即在某些群落中亦可以一种进展种群的形式存在,银杉种群的空间分布格局多为集群分布。大沙河自然保护区银杉种群的空间分布格局显示出与重庆金佛山、湖南八面山银杉种群的空间分布格局有相似的变化规律,但也有不同之处,金佛山的银杉-石栎群落和八面山的银杉-木荷群落中的银彩种群多为随机分布。     

杭州非栽培植物上访花蓟马种类调查及发生分析

为明确蓟马在野外不同植被上的发生动态,了解不同蓟马的寄主偏好性。从4月中旬至11月中旬,每2周对杭州茅家埠多种植物花上的蓟马种类进行采集并在室内进行种类鉴定,并且对几种主要植物的几种蓟马种群动态进行分析,包括对金丝桃Hypericum chinese花上的花蓟马Frankliniella intonsa、西花蓟马F.occidentalis、黄胸蓟马Thrips hawaiiensis及黄蓟马T.flavus;一年篷Erigeron annuus花上的花蓟马、西花蓟马、小头蓟马Microcephalothrips sp;空心莲子草Alternanthera philoxeroides花上的花蓟马、西花蓟马及黄胸蓟马及美人蕉Canna indica花上的花蓟马、黄胸蓟马、黄蓟马及茶黄硬蓟马Scirtothrips dorsalis发生进行分析。调查发现蓟马种类分属6属16种,其中花蓟马、黄胸蓟马及黄蓟马是该地主要的蓟马种类。分析发现,金丝桃上花蓟马是优势种,其他几种只是偶尔发生,一年篷上优势种是小头蓟马并且发生量在开花的后期较多,即在整个7月,空心莲子草上蓟马的数量在开花的早期较多,从6月初至7月初,后期减少明显,主要是花蓟马和西花蓟马两种,美人蕉上主要的蓟马种类是黄蓟马和黄胸蓟马,在整个开花期,有3个发生高峰期,分别为7月上中旬,9月中下旬及11月上中旬,并且种群发生量大,最高时达到每花101.60±13.89头。同时花蓟马的数量也较高,最高时每花达12.60±4.35头,因此从上述的分析发现,花蓟马的适宜寄主范围广,除一年篷花上较少外,其他3种植物的花上都较多,这3种植物都可作为花蓟马的虫源地,黄蓟马和黄胸蓟马的主要适宜寄主为美人蕉花,西花蓟马则在空心莲子草上发生较多,而小头蓟马的适宜寄主则是一年篷。     

光肩星天牛自然种群生命表的研究

本文采用反复调查和查迹调查相结合的方法,编制1987～1990年两代光肩星天牛(Anoplophova glabripennis Motsch)在北京杨、大官杨上发生为害的自然种群平均生命表.揭示了该虫自然种群数最消长的动态规律,找出了影响其种群数最变动的关键因子为预测预报和综合治理提供了科学依据.     

Population structure,genetic diversity,and sexual state of the rice brown spot pathogen Bipolaris oryzae from three Asian countries

Bipolaris oryzae causes brown spot in rice (Oryza sativa) inflicting substantial grain yield losses worldwide. Knowledge of the population structure, genetic diversity and sexual recombination of the fungal pathogen can help to implement effective disease management strategies. In this study, B. oryzae isolates sampled from Iran, the Philippines and Japan were analysed with 12 simple‐sequence repeat (SSR) markers, newly developed from the genome sequence of the fungus. Among the 288 B. oryzae isolates genotyped, 278 unique haplotypes were identified. High genotype numbers (richness) with even distribution (evenness) were found within the collection sites. Both mating types, MAT1‐1 and MAT1‐2, were present in each collection area, and the sexual state was induced under controlled conditions with production of viable ascospores. However, the tests of linkage disequilibrium rejected of the hypothesis of random mating. Discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) revealed that the B. oryzae collection formed three clusters, each consisting of isolates from different collection sites. Analysis of molecular variance (amova ) showed that genetic variation among clusters was 18.7%, with the rest of the variation distributed within clusters (R_ST = 0.187, P < 0.001). Statistically significant pairwise genetic differentiation was found between the clusters. These results show that Asian B. oryzae isolates are genetically diverse, and, overall, distributed in three groups. These findings will be helpful in managing the disease and guide the use of representative isolates needed for selection of resistant rice varieties.     

Reduced effective population size in an overexploited population of the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)

Unchecked exploitation of wildlife resources is one of the major factors influencing species persistence throughout the world today. A significant consequence of exploitation is the increasing rate at which genetic diversity is lost as populations decline. Recent studies suggest that life history traits affecting population growth, particularly in long-lived species, may act to moderate the impact of population decline on genetic variation and lead to remnant populations that appear genetically diverse despite having passed through substantial demographic bottlenecks. In this study we show that the retention of genetic variation in a partially recovered population of Nile crocodile is deceptive, as it masks the reality of a significant decline in the population’s effective size (N_e). Repeated episodes of unchecked hunting in the mid to late 20th century have today led to a five-fold decrease in the population’s N_e. Using current census data we estimate the contemporary N_e/N ratio as 0.05 and, in light of quotas that permit the ongoing removal of adults, simulated the likely effects of genetic drift on extant levels of variation. Results indicate that even if the current effective size is maintained, both allelic diversity and heterozygosity will decline. Our findings have complex implications for long-lived species; an emphasis on the retention of genetic variation alone, whilst disregarding the effects of population decline on effective size, may ultimately obscure the continued decline and extinction of exploited populations.