Detection, identification and significance of phytoplasmas in grasses in northern Australia

Sugarcane yields have been severely reduced by white leaf and grassy shoot phytoplasma diseases in many parts of Asia. Australian sugarcane crops are not known to be affected by these diseases, but plant pathogenic phytoplasmas found in other introduced and native grasses in northern Australia could pose a serious threat to the Australian sugarcane industry. To further evaluate this threat, leaves from plants of 20 grass species, with and without symptoms, were collected during field surveys in northern Australia and tested to determine whether phytoplasmas were present and whether symptoms were reliable indicators of phytoplasma presence. Molecular tools were used to detect and characterize phytoplasmas. Four different phytoplasmas were found in seven grass species known to grow near healthy sugarcane crops. All the phytoplasmas were closely related to sugarcane white leaf phytoplasma (SCWL), one of the phytoplasmas that causes disease in sugarcane in Asia. Four of the host plant species and two of the phytoplasmas were new records. The relationship between symptoms and phytoplasma presence was poor. Because some plants with symptoms tested negative for phytoplasmas, a series of surveys was carried out in which flowers, leaves, roots and stems of two known host plant species, Whiteochloa cymbiformis and Sorghum stipoideum, were tested separately on nine occasions during two wet seasons. This was done to investigate the distribution of phytoplasmas within plants over time. Results showed that spatial and temporal variation of phytoplasmas occurred in these two host plant species. Hence, evaluation of disease distribution within a region requires repeated testing of all plant parts from plants without symptoms, as well as those with symptoms. To date, there is no report of a vector capable of transmitting to Australian sugarcane the phytoplasmas found in grasses in this study. If one is present, or occurs in the future, then native and introduced grasses could constitute a large reservoir of phytoplasma for vectors to draw on. This work provides an early warning for the sugarcane industry that the potential for infection exists.     

水稻耐盐机理的研究Ⅲ.不同基因型对NaCl吸收和运转的动力学比较

本文应用动力学研究方法比较了具有不同耐盐性的3组共6个水稻基因型对NaCl吸收和运转的差异,结果表明,在外部低NaCl浓度(0.1mmolL~(-1)时,水稻对Na~+的吸收为被动吸收,耐盐基因型对Na~+的吸收速率显著低于盐敏感基因型;对Cl~-的吸收为主动吸收,不同耐盐性基因型吸收Cl~-的动力学参数(V_(?)、K_(?))差异不显著,在外部高NaCl浓度(50mmolL~(-1))时,耐盐基因型对Na~+和cl~-的吸收速率均低于对应的盐敏感基因型。耐盐基因型水稻的Na~+、cl-从根部向地上部的运转率低于对应的盐敏感基因型,这种差异在高盐浓度时更为明显。表明了耐盐基因型水稻地上部对NaCl的排斥作用是吸收控制和运转控制共同作用的结果,使地上部Na~+、Cl-含量相对降低而显出较高的耐盐性。     

Analysis of Growth and Productivity of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) in Relation to FYM, Nitrogen and Source of Fertilizer

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons of 1992–93 and 1993–94 at Anand to study the effect of FYM, nitrogen and source of fertilizer on growth and yield of mustard [ Brassica juncea (L.) Czernj & Cosson]. The results showed significant variation in leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), dry matter production and seed yield. The direct effect of farmyard manure (FYM) was conspicuous in improving the growth of mustard. FYM application at 10 tonnes ha⁻¹ significantly increased the LAI, CGR and dry matter accumulation per plant at almost all the stages during first year study (1992–93) and in pooled analysis. Similarly, nitrogen application registered maximum LAI, CGR at 75 kg level and RGR and NAR at 50 kg level at almost all the during both years. Sulphur carrying source (Ammonium sulphate plus single super phosphate) increased all stages growth characters. Maximum dry matter accumulation per plant and seed yield were recorded with highest levels of FYM (20 tonnes ha⁻¹), N (75 kg ha⁻¹) and source having S. Seed yield was strongly associated with LAI and dry matter accumulation per plant at all the stages.     

Identification of a Long Rice Spikelet Mutant

A spontaneously occurring rice (Oryza sativa L. ) mutant, characterized by homeotic conversion in glumes and stamens, was found in the progeny of a cross. The mutant showed long glumes and glumaceous lodicules and morphological transformation of stamens into pistils. Mutant florets consisted of 1 to 3 completely developed pistils, some pistilloid stamens with filaments, but tipped by bulged tissue and 0 to 3 stigmas. It seens that the mutant phenotype of the homeotic conversions in glumes and stamens is similar to that of the B loss-of-function mutants in Arabidopsis and Antirrhinum. The mutant is controlled by a single recessive gene as a segregation ratio of 3:1 (wild type to mutant plants) was observed in the F2 generation.     

陆地棉功能叶不同生育时期酶活性及脂质过氧化作用的研究

对不同熟性棉花品种功能叶几种酶活性及脂质过氧化水平（以丙二醛含量表示）的研究结果表明，超氧物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）活性在吐絮前呈波动上升，吐絮盛期争剧下降；丙二醛（ＭＤＡ）含量吐絮前缓慢上升，吐絮后明显增加；过氧化氢酶（ＣＡＴ）活性在结铃以前随叶片发育而上升，结铃后急剧下降；过氧化物酶（ＰＯＤ）活性始终呈上升趋势。进一步对ＰＯＤ同工酶进行电泳发现，其酶谱构成随生育进程而变化，早熟品种在开花期酶带条数最多     

温度和砷对不同品种水稻幼苗生长和砷吸收的影响

为明确温度和外源砷对水稻生长发育的影响,选取江苏地区常见的8个水稻品种为试验材料,通过添加不同浓度外源砷[0(As0)、0.5(As0.5) 和1 mg?L-1(As1)]和模拟不同温度[白天/夜晚分别为30 ℃/25 ℃（T0）和35 ℃/30 ℃（T1）],在人工气候箱内进行了发芽和苗期培养试验,并分析了8个品种水稻种子萌发、幼苗生长及砷含量状况。结果表明,外源砷对水稻的芽长和活力指数具有抑制作用,与对照（T0As0）相比,T0As1处理使不同品种水稻的芽长和活力指数分别降低13.69%~43.34%和28.14%~52.88%。 而温度对水稻种子萌发的影响与水稻品种有关。在T1处理下,盐两优1618的发芽率、芽长和活力指数均优于其他品种。温度和外源砷的共同作用显著降低了不同品种水稻的芽长（P<0.05）。与T0As0相比,T1As1使水稻芽长显著降低5.66%~43.34%。水稻根长和根系活力显著受到温度和外源砷的单一因素的影响。与T0As0相比,T0As1处理使水稻根系活力降低3.01%~58.21%。温度和外源砷的共同作用抑制了水稻根长和根系活力,其中T1As1使水稻根系活力显著降低53.80%~89.01%。不同品种水稻的苗高和根系活力在相同温度或外源砷处理下具有显著差异（P<0.05）,其中盐两优888的苗高和根系活力均处于较高水平。水稻茎叶砷含量在外源砷处理下显著增加,在增温处理下却降低。与单一的砷处理相比,温度和外源砷的共同作用降低了水稻茎叶的砷含量。综上可知,温度和外源砷影响水稻的生长及砷吸收,但水稻生长状况具有明显的品种间差异,其中盐两优888和盐两优1618在增温和外源砷共存条件下的种子萌发和生长状况优于其他水稻品种。     

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.     

Pelargonium flower-break and pelargonium line pattern viruses in the Netherlands; purification,antiserum preparation,serological identification,and detection in pelargonium by ELISA

Two viruses, detected frequently in the Netherlands in pelargonium, were identified by serology and test plant reactions. Antisera were prepared and an ELISA procedure was developed to detect the viruses in pelargonium.One of the viruses, PFBV-N, proved to be pelargonium flower-break virus. With the antiserum to PFBV-N, it could be detected reliably throughout the year inPelargonium zonale Springtime Irene.The other virus, PLPV-N, was serologically closely related to pelargonium line pattern virus (PLPV) and to pelargonium ring pattern virus (PRPV), as were an old virus isolate from Saturnus, collected in the Netherlands in 1971 (L128), and PLPV isolates from Yugoslavia (PLPV-Y) and Denmark (PLPV-D). There were only minor differences in host-plant reactions between the virus isolates. Based on these tests, PLPV and PRPV are considered as isolates of the same virus, for which, for practical reasons, the name pelargonium line pattern virus is proposed.PLPV could be reliably detected by ELISA inP. zonale Springtime Irene and Amanda throughout the year with only a few exceptions. InPelargonium peltatum Tavira, however, reslts were erratic due to uneven distribution of virus in the plant. Best results were obtained when petioles of fully expanded leaves were tested.     

The fate of fluroxypyr in the soil in an oil palm agroecosystem

A study on the fate of fluroxypyr in Malaysian agricultural soils was carried out under natural conditions in an oil palm plantation. Three experimental plots in the oil palm estate were selected and three types of treatments were administered, namely fluroxypyr at the recommended dosage, double the recommended rate, and the untreated control. Residues of fluroxypyr in the soil, water, and oil palm leaf were monitored at regular intervals up to 90 days after treatment (DAT). The recovery of fluroxypyr in the water and soil samples ranged from 91–102% when fortified at 1–25 p.p.b. and 91–98% when fortified at 4–50 p.p.b. The recovery from the oil palm leaf ranged from 76–114% when the oil palm leaf sample was fortified at 0.05–1.0 p.p.m. The results showed that fluroxypyr leached down to 50 cm depth at 1 DAT when the plots were treated with either dosage. However, fluroxypyr was not detected in the soil residue at 14 and 21 DAT. Fluroxypyr was not detected in the oil palm leaf samples irrespective of the rates of herbicide application or sampling intervals. The residue of fluroxypyr was detected in water from a nearby stream up to 5 DAT at levels ranging from 0.06–0.21 µg L⁻¹. This result suggests that fluroxypyr persists for a short period in the soil and water ecosystems, but not in the oil palm leaf.     

Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a phi-type glutathione S-transferase from Oryza sativa

The structural gene for glutathione S-transferase in Oryza sativa was successfully cloned from a cDNA library by the polymerase chain reaction method. The deduced amino acid sequence of this gene showed 44-66% similarity to the sequences of the class phi GSTs from Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays. This gene was expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system and the gene product was purified to homogeneity by GSH-Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The expressed OsGSTF3-3 was a homo-dimer composed of 24 kDa subunit and its pI value was approximately 7.3. The OsGSTF3-3 was retained on GSH affinity column and its K_m value for GSH was 0.28 mM. The OsGSTF3-3 displayed high activity toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a general GST substrate and also had high activities towards acetanilide herbicides, alachlor, and metolachlor. The OsGSTF3-3 was highly sensitive to inhibition by benastatin A and S-hexyl-GSH. From these results, the expressed OsGSTF3-3 is a phi class GST and seems to play an important role in the conjugation of the chloroacetanilide herbicides.