Alley cropping and mulching withErythrina poeppigiana (Walp.) O. F. Cook andGliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp.: effects on maize/weed competition

The potential of allye cropping systems to sustain a high productivity with low external inputs and the reduction of maize/weed competition through weed suppression in different alley cropping and sole-cropped mulched systems was studied in Costa Rica at CATIE. Data were recorded eight years after establishment of the experiment. Plant residues ofErythrina poeppigiana trees (10 t/ha dry matter) planted at 6 by 3 m reduced weed biomass by 52%, whileGliricidia sepium trees (12 t/ha dry matter) planted at 6 by 0.5 m reduced weed biomass by 28%, in comparison to controls.Erythrina had a considerable impact on grass weeds, whileGliricidia reduced the incidence of some dicot weeds. Weed competition significantly reduced maize yield in all systems. Nevertheless weed suppression contributed to the higher maize grain yield underErythrina andGliricidia alley cropping of 3.8 t per hectare as opposed to the unmulched control yield of 2.0 t per hectare.     

紫红短须螨生物学特性初步观察

利用紫红短须螨（Brevipalpus phoenicis)控制薇甘菊，是生物控制杂草的一种新方法，文章着重介绍了紫红短须螨的生物学特性及形态特征。卵椭圆形。卵椭圆形，长约0.10mm，宽约0.07mm。红色，多单产在植物茎叶的裂缝或凹陷处，或叶片背面的主脉两边，成块成串堆聚在一起，幼螨桔红色，长约0.17mm，宽约0.11mm。若螨2龄，背上有黑色斑纹，雌成螨长约0.30mm，宽约0.16mm，身体椭圆形，扁平，多桔红色。背上有一个“H”形标记，紫红短须螨1年6-8代，世代重迭，从孵发育到成虫，恒温30℃为18.6d,20℃为48.8d。当湿度低于30%，平均温度高于30℃或者低于20℃时，紫红短须螨不能完成生活史，室内11.0-28.5℃的自然变温，湿度58%-97%条件下，紫红短须螨发育完成一个世代为28-55d。     

关中地区麦田杂草危害状况及防除对策

为摸清目前关中地区麦田杂草种类、分布、感染危害情况,历时3个月对关中地区4市25个县(区)麦田杂草感染危害状况进行全面调查。结果发现,关中地区麦田杂草不仅种类繁多,分布广泛,而且危害普遍严重,其中以播娘篙、猪殃殃、荠菜和节节麦分布最广,危害最严重,平均每平方米分别是93株、84株、21株和19.5株,最多样方分别是1 0421、246、352和256株/m2。因此,麦田杂草防除,应在一定的轮作与土壤耕作的基础上,把各项除草措施综合在一起,以求高效、低投入。     

Molecular Identification of a New Member of the Clover Proliferation Phytoplasma Group (16SrVI) Associated with Centaurea Solstitialis Virescence in Italy

In the United States, yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) is an annual invasive weed with Mediterranean origins. Malformed plants displaying witches' broom, fasciations, abortion of buds and flower virescence symptoms were observed in central Italy. Attempts to transmit the causal agent from the natural yellow starthistle host to periwinkle by grafting, resulted in typical symptoms of a phytoplasma, i.e. yellowing and shortening of internodes. The detection of phytoplasmas was obtained from both symptomatic yellow starthistle and periwinkle by the specific amplification of their 16S-23S rRNA genes. PCR amplification of extracted DNA from symptomatic plant samples gave a product of expected size. Asymptomatic plants did not give positive results. An amplicon obtained by direct PCR with universal primers P1/P7 was cloned and sequenced. The homology search using CLUSTALW program showed more than 99% similarity with Illinois elm yellows (ILEY) phytoplasma from Illinois (United States) and 97% with Brinjal little leaf (BLL) phytoplasma from India. Digestion of the nested-PCR products with restriction enzymes led to restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns referable to those described for phytoplasmas belonging to the clover proliferation (16S-VI) group. Since this is a previously undescribed disease, the name Centaurea solstitialis virescence has been tentatively assigned to it. This is a new phytoplasma with closest relationships to ILEY and BLL, but distinguishable from them on the basis of 16S rDNA homology, the different associated plant hosts and their geographical origin.     

Drivers of Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. et Schult growth and impact on forage quality in lowland Switzerland meadows

Invasive grasses (especially Setaria pumila (Poir.) Roem. et Schult) increasingly threaten meadows and pastures as a consequence of human impact and climate change. We conducted a study in 2012 and in 2013 to better understand the growing cycle and the influence of S. pumila on forage quality of lowland meadows. We observed a rapid increase of S. pumila presence and phytomass on the southern side of the Alps across the growing season. We measured (i) above‐ground phytomass, with a modified Corral‐Fenlon method; (ii) botanical composition using the linear point quadrat method; and (iii) grassland chemical composition by NIRs (near‐infrared spectroscopy) analyses. To test the hypothesis that S. pumila summer growth is related to specific climatic conditions, meteorological data (temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration) were collected from meteorological stations near the study sites. Total phytomass was sorted into S. pumila and other species. We used a generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) and found the abundance of S. pumila to be inversely correlated with rainfall and the presence of other species, but positively correlated with temperature increase. The increase of S. pumila above‐ground phytomass production was linked to a reduction of forage quality.     

半干旱区农田杂草的生活史对策研究

2008-2009年通过利用当地常见的10种杂草种植于不同处理的农田,研究半干早区农田杂草群落结构以及10种杂草群落组分种对环境因子的响应,结果表明,1)同一物种在不同的气候环境下,可以表现出不同的生活史策略.蝇虫实、田旋花和金荞麦2008年生活史策略分别具有竟争型(C)对策属性、胁迫忍耐型(S)对策属性和中间型(C-...