Effect of planting density of maize on the progress and spread of northern leaf blight fromExserohilum turcicum infested residue source

Effect of plant density (37,037, 44,444 and 55,555 plants/ha) on the increase of northern leaf blight in time and space on two maize cultivars planted at spacings of 90, 75 and 60 between rows and 30 cm within rows was investigated.Exserohilum turcicum infested maize residue was used as an inoculum source. Maize density did not significantly affect the disease indices, but significantly influenced the grain yield of the two cultivars. In contrast, the two cultivars differed significantly (P0.01) in disease severity, but not grain yield. Higher disease severities and grain yields were associated with higher plant densities, whereas the apparent infection rate was lower in higher plant density. Distance from the maize residue (inoculum source) significantly influenced disease severity. The percentage leaf area blighted, area under disease progress curve and disease progress curve intercept decreased with distance from the maize residue area, but the apparent infection rate on EV8429-SR appeared to increase with distance. Disease gradients (b) were higher in closely planted maize and flattened with time in one location only.     

The rates of maize growth and lignin biosynthesis change after root-applied chalcone

The effects of root-applied chalcone at 0.15 mmol L⁻¹ on the growth and lignin biosynthesis in maize were investigated. The contents of 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL, EC 6.2.1.12) substrates in maize shoots were increased more rapidly in the samples with chalcone application than in the control and the increase occurred at ≤ 3 h after the application (HAA). The lignin content was reduced by chalcone at ≤ 6 HAA. The shoot growth was suppressed by chalcone at ≤ 9 HAA. Consequently, the results suggest that chalcone suppressed maize growth by inhibiting monolignol biosynthesis.     

Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi Duponchel (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a pest of gramineous crops and causes significant economic damage to maize. In field surveys on maize to determine the parasitoid community and its impact on the pest in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey, nine parasitoid species were found associated with immature stages ofM. loreyi: The hymenopteran (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) parasitoidsCotesia (=Apanteles) ruficrus (Haliday),Chelonus oculator Panzer,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg),Sinophorus sp.; and the dipteran (Tachinidae) parasitoidsPseudogonia rufifrons Wiedeman,Exorista rossica Mesnil,Gonia picea (Robineau-Desvoidy) andLinnaemya vulpina (Fallen) — the last three recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofM. loreyi in Turkey.C. ruficrus was the dominant parasitoid species, being recovered from 38.5% of the larvae collected and was also the most prevalent species, existing in 91.0% of the fields in whichM. loreyi was found. Total parasitism levels achieved by braconid species was 41.4%, by ichneumonid parasitoids 4.8%, and by tachinid parasitoids 1.9%. In a separate field experiment, seasonal population fluctuations and natural efficiency ofC. ruficrus onM. loreyi were found to be 35.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Population levels ofC. ruficrus were closely related to fluctuations in the population ofM. loreyi, with parasitism ranging between 0 and 77.3% during the study. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

模糊隶属法对玉米苗期耐旱性的拟合分析

在略高于玉米萎蔫系数的干旱条件下,以出苗率和生物学产量耐旱系数之乘积为指标,测定了17个玉米自交系和10个杂交种的苗期抗旱性。并用模糊隶属法,以干旱胁迫下的胚芽鞘长度,出苗率,根重,生物学产量,脯氨酸含量,电导率和离体叶片保水力等指标对各品种耐旱性进行了拟合分析。结果表明,在略高于萎蔫系数的干旱条件下,以出苗率和生物学产量的耐旱系数之乘积为指标,可以准确鉴定玉米苗期的耐旱性,与耐旱性的综合评价拟合良好(相关系数r=0.914)。     

Biological and Physical Constraints on Maize Production in the Humid Forest and Western Highlands of Cameroon

The aim was to identify biological and physical factors responsible for reducing maize yield in Cameroon. Two surveys were conducted in 137 fields in two agroecological zones in 1995–1997. In the Humid Forest (HF), Bipolaris maydis, Stenocarpella macrospora, Puccinia polysora, Rhizoctonia solani and soil fertility were factors that reduced maize production in 1995 and 1996. In the Western Highlands (WHL), Cercospora zeae-maydis, and the interaction between soil fertility and maize variety were the most important constraints to maize production in 1996. In 1997, C. zeae-maydis, S. macrospora, physiological spot and stem borer damage (Busseola fusca) were negatively related to ear weight. The combination of these biological factors (diseases and insects), and the physical parameter of soil fertility were responsible for reducing maize yield in these selected benchmarks of Cameroon. Maximum potential yield reductions were estimated at 68% due to B. maydis and 46% due to S. macrospora, respectively, in the HF in 1995. In 1996, maximum potential yield reductions in the HF were estimated at 34%, 41% and 30% due to S. macrospora, P. polysora and R. solani, respectively. In the WHL, C. zeae-maydis had the potential to cause a yield reduction of 79% in 1996. In the WHL in 1997, the interaction between C. zeae-maydis and B. fusca, stem diseases and the physiological spot caused potential reductions of 52%, 34% and 39%, respectively.     

Olive processing wastes for weed control

The herbicidal effect of olive processing wastes (OPW) on some weed species in wheat, maize and sunflower was investigated in the Aegean region of Turkey. In trials with maize and sunflower, OPW was applied as an air‐dried solid form at 3 and 4.5 kg m^?2. It provided an effectiveness level on Portulaca oleracea of 63–98%. In trials with wheat, OPW was applied as solid and liquid forms, each at two different doses, namely 4.5 and 6 kg m^?2 (solid), and 5 and 10 L m^?2 (liquid). Solid OPW provided a reduction in total weed coverage of 75% and 81% at doses of 4.5 and 6 kg m^?2, respectively. The weed coverage reduction by liquid OPW was 39% and 62% with 5 and 10 L m^?2, respectively. Apart from 12–26% reduction of the number of germinating seeds, OPW showed no toxic effects on maize and sunflower. Wheat was affected in the initial stages but no adverse effect was detected at harvest. It can be concluded that the herbicidal effect of OPW may be considered as an alternative to chemical weed control in some important summer crops (maize and sunflower) and for most of the weeds in winter wheat.     

Study of Resistance to Orobanche ramosa in Host (Oilseed Rape and Carrot) and Non-host (Maize) Plants

Orobanche ramosa is a parasitic Angiosperm responsible for severe yield losses in several economical crops. It is a serious threat in oilseed rape in France and Morocco and is appearing in carrot crops in Morocco. In this study, several varieties of oilseed rape and carrot were screened in order to identify resistant cultivars and to characterize the resistance mechanisms involved. All the 15 oilseed rape varieties tested were susceptible. In carrot, the varieties 'Colmar à coeur rouge' and 'Nantaise demi-longue' were susceptible, whereas 'Palaiseau' and 'Buror' were resistant. In the susceptible 'Colmar à coeur rouge' carrot no defence reactions were found and the development of the parasite inhibited carrot tap root formation. In the resistant carrot varieties, the parasite germinated, became attached to the host root but became necrotic before emergence. In 'Buror' carrot, formation of a mechanical barrier was associated with the restriction to the cortex of the parasite. In maize cv. 'Vigni', a non-host of O. ramosa, thickening of xylem vessels, cell divisions in the central cylinder and formation of an encapsulation layer were observed in association with restricted development of Orobanche haustoria.     

华北地区夏玉米田马唐治理的生态经济杀除阈期研究

作者于1992～1994年研究夏玉米田马唐(Digitaria sanguinalis L.)治理的生态经济阈期,借助计算机进行数学模拟,建立夏玉米的相对产量与马唐的相对干扰生长时间、相对出苗时间的函数关系。苗后马唐干扰生长的相对时间即相对天数(Xu)与夏玉米相对产量(Yu)的关系式为: Yu=101.5/{1.0 0.01756EXP[—(—0.0876Xu 0.0004888Xu~2)]}…………(1)苗后马唐出苗的相对时间与玉米相对产量的关系式为: Yd=100.73/{1.0 0.96EXP[—(0.06346Xd-0.00006859Xd~2)]}……………(2) 根据生态经济杀除阈期的定义和(1)、(2)两公式计算可知:夏玉米田马唐防除的生态经济杀除阈期的始期应从夏玉米苗后生育期总天数的11.8％开始,结束于夏玉米苗后生育期总天数的53.9％。例如华北地区夏玉米全生育期总天数一般是95天,夏玉米苗后生育期总天数(T)约为88天,故夏玉米田马唐防除的生态经济杀除阈期约在夏玉米苗后10.6—47.5天之间。     

国内一种玉米新病害--玉米黑腐病

1999年7月云南省元谋县城郊玉米地发现一种玉米新病害,发病面积大约70hm2.其典型症状表现为植株矮化,节间缩短,叶片密集簇生,叶片上有黄绿相间的条斑.叶鞘上有坏死或腐烂病斑,幼穗腐烂,不实,严重者绝产,颗粒无收.从坏死或腐烂的叶鞘和果穗上可镜检到分生孢子及分生孢子梗.纯化培养后,并按柯赫氏法则进行接种试验,病原鉴定为柔弱无枝孢Acladium tenellum(Berk.& Curt.)Subram.comb.nov..本文对病害症状、病原形态、发病情况等进行了详细研究,确定该病为玉米一种新病害.     

不同覆盖方式对旱地玉米田土壤环境及玉米产量的影响

分析普通地膜覆盖、小麦秸秆覆盖及露地栽培3种不同处理对旱地玉米田土壤环 境、玉米产量构成因素的影响,结果表明:覆盖栽培能改善土壤环境,降低土壤容重,提高土壤 水分利用率,调节土温、湿度,协调水热资源利用的同步性;秸秆覆盖能增加土壤养分含量,特 别是速效钾含量;在玉米生长后期,提高叶面积指数,延长叶片功能,提高玉米的光合能力从而 防止玉米早衰,增加穗重,提高玉米产量。