Alternative Route of Infection for Bacterial Seedling Blight of Rice Caused by Burkholderia plantarii

Burkholderia plantarii , the pathogen of bacterial seedling blight of rice, was detected in paddy water. Its concentration rose in July and August. The bacterial concentration in the paddy water was always higher along levees than at distances more than 5 m from levees. Confirmed to be released into water when graminaceous weeds were immersed, B. plantarii survived for at least 4 days at 30°C. B. plantarii was splashed at least 30 cm upward by rain splash in the field. Harvested seeds, which had been sprayed with B. plantarii released from graminaceous weeds at the flowering stage, retained the bacteria. Bacterial seedling blight occurred when the seeds were then sown in nursery boxes. These results indicated that graminaceous weeds growing on levees of paddy fields are a source of infection of the disease and that rice seeds are infected through the paddy water. Received 23 May 2002/ Accepted in revised form 1 September 2002     

Observations of Phytophthora spp. in Water Recirculation Systems in Commercial Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock

Samples of water and sediment were taken from drains, reservoirs and wells from four commercial hardy ornamental nurseries with water recirculation systems. The samples were taken on seven different dates throughout a single year from August 1994 to July 1995. The samples were screened for Phytophthora species using five different methods: direct plating, three bait tests (using lupin seedlings, apples and Rhododendron leaves) and a DAS-ELISA (double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent-assay) with two antisera. In the nurseries with old water recirculation systems, Phytophthora species were detected in the drains and in the reservoirs. In the nursery with a new recirculation system, the pathogens were only present in the drains. None of the water samples from wells in any of the nurseries were contaminated. Phytophthora species were present in the water as well as in the sediment samples from drains and reservoirs. They were detected in the water recirculation systems irrespective of the season. The number of isolates increased about sevenfold between late summer and spring. At least 12 different Phytophthora species were identified: some isolates were previously unrecorded species. The epidemiology of the pathogens in outdoor water recirculation systems as well as the importance of the results for commercial nurseries is discussed.     

Variation in the development of secondary dormancy in oilseed rape genotypes under conditions of stress

Summary A substantial amount of seed is left in the fields before and during harvest of oilseed rape. Although this crop exhibits little or no primary dormancy, the absence of certain environmental cues that promote germination of imbibed seeds induces secondary dormancy. The work reported investigated the extent to which environmental stress conditions, including osmotic stress, low oxygen stress and anaerobiosis, induce secondary dormancy in oilseed rape, and examined the variation in development of secondary dormancy between and within genotypes. Osmotic stress was most effective in inducing dormancy. Anaerobic treatment produced very few dormant seeds, as did an atmosphere low in oxygen and high in nitrogen. The development of secondary dormancy under osmotic stress varied considerably between and within genotypes. Dormancy ranged from almost zero to about 60% for winter genotypes and about 85% for spring types. Within genotypes, variations occurred between seed lots and years of harvest. Temperature variations affected the percentage of dormant seeds. More dormant seeds were likely to be produced with incubation under water stress at 20 °C than at 12 °C. In winter genotypes, fewer dormant seeds were produced when incubation temperature and germination test temperatures differed. Thus, incubating at 20 °C and 12 °C, followed by germination tests at 20 °C and 12 °C, respectively, produced most dormant seeds. Also, in the winter genotypes, the potential development of secondary dormancy was positively correlated with the pattern and speed of germination of untreated seeds.     

Movement of Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians in the stems of lettuce and seed contamination

Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians , the causal agent of bacterial leaf spot of lettuce (BLS), can be seedborne, but the mechanism by which the bacteria contaminates and/or infects lettuce seed is not known. In this study, the capacity of X. campestris pv. vitians to enter and translocate within the vascular system of lettuce plants was examined. The stems of 8- to 11-week-old lettuce plants were stab-inoculated, and movement of X. campestris pv. vitians was monitored at various intervals. At 4, 8, 12 and 16 h post-inoculation (hpi), X. campestris pv. vitians was recovered from 2 to 10 cm above (depending on stem length) and 2 cm below the inoculation site. Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians was also recovered from surface-disinfested stem sections of spray-inoculated plants. Together, these results are consistent with X. campestris pv. vitians invading and moving systemically within the vascular system of lettuce plants. To investigate the mechanism of seed contamination, lettuce plants at the vegetative stage of growth were spray-inoculated with X. campestris pv. vitians and allowed to develop BLS. Seed collected from these plants had a 2% incidence of X. campestris pv. vitians external colonization, but no bacteria were recovered from within the seed.     

Genetic variability within Phaeoisariopsis griseola from Central America and its implications for resistance breeding of common bean

The genetic and virulence variability of 112 isolates of Phaeoisariopsis griseola , collected from various locations in Central America, were studied using seven random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers and 12 common-bean differential genotypes. Broad molecular diversity ( H  = 0·92) among isolates was found using RAPD markers. Fifty pathotypes were identified on 12 differential bean genotypes, 29 of which were represented by only one isolate. Only 18 pathotypes were found in two or more countries. Pathotype 63-63 was the most virulent and caused leaf spots on all 12 common-bean differential genotypes. Comparison of virulence phenotypes and RAPD profiles to known Andean P. griseola isolates confirmed that all isolates belonged to the Mesoamerican group. Pairwise comparison between individual RAPD loci showed that the majority were in gametic phase linkage disequilibrium, revealing that P. griseola maintains a genetic structure that is consistent with asexual reproduction. The molecular and virulence diversities of P. griseola isolates from Central America imply that using single resistance genes to manage angular leaf spot is inadequate and stacking resistance genes may be necessary to manage the disease effectively.     

Effects of aqueous extracts and decomposition of Mikania micrantha H.B.K. debris on selected agronomic crops

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effects of aqueous extract and the debris of Mile-a-Minute ( Mikania micrantha H.B.K.) on the germination and growth of four test species, viz. tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Chinese cabbage ( Brassica chinensis L.), corn ( Zea mays L.) and long bean ( Vigna sesquipedalis L.). Germination percentage, radicle length and fresh weight of two crops, Chinese cabbage and tomato, decreased progressively when plants were exposed to increasing concentrations (12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 g L⁻¹) of aqueous extract of Mikania , but did not affect those of corn and long bean seedlings. The emergence of tomato and Chinese cabbage was greatly reduced when Mikania debris was incorporated into the soil, irrespective of the amount of debris and the decomposition period. In contrast, the emergence of corn and long bean seedlings was not affected. The application of fertilizer (NPK 15 : 15 : 15) enhanced the fresh weight of all seedlings tested as compared with those not supplied with the fertilizer. Four compounds were identified in the leaf extract of Mikania , viz. caffeic acid, p -hydroxybenzaldehyde, resorcinol and vanillic acid.     

黑河干流中游地区耗水量变化的历史分析

黑河流域水资源极其匮乏 ,加之地区上的配置不均衡和中游地区水土资源的过度开发导致了黑河下游严重生态环境问题 ,已影响到我国北方广大地区生态环境质量 ,受到国家的高度重视和全社会的广泛关注。黑河水资源开发利用主要集中在中游地区 ,该区是全国重要的商品粮、蔬菜和经济作物生产基地之一 ,耗水量占流域耗水量的 85 %以上 ,是黑河的主要耗水区和径流利用区。本文利用黑河上游控制站莺落峡站和中游控制站正义峡站水文资料 ,分析了黑河中游耗水量的变化 ,结果表明 :2 0世纪 80年代以前黑河中游耗水量在 4.2 0× 10 8m3 左右 ,比较稳定 ;进入 2 0世纪 80年代以来耗水量明显增加 ,80年代耗水量比 40年代末期至 70年代增加了 2 .0× 10 8～ 2 .5×10 8m3 左右 ;90年代耗水量又比 80年代增加了 1.6 0× 10 8m3 左右。 80年代以来流域耗水量呈明显增加的趋势 ,这是以人类活动影响为主的结果     

黑河流域荒漠地区梭梭人工林地土壤水分动态研究

梭梭林地土壤剖面的含水量与裸沙地含水量显著不同 ,裸沙地土壤含水量随深度增加而增加 ,林地在 30～ 12 0cm范围内有较高的含水量 ;林地 0～ 30cm的上层土壤含水量受降雨及蒸发的剧烈影响 ,30～ 2 0 0cm范围内的林地土壤各测量层平均含水量与其标准差有二次函数的关系 ;降雨对每月的 0～ 2 0 0cm的土壤贮水量没有明显的影响 ,说明降雨多数在当月就被蒸散和深层渗漏所消耗 ;认为梭梭人工林这种脆弱生态系统能够在严酷的环境条件下存在 ,其根系对土壤水和地下水有吸水和释水的再分配功能是重要的因素之一     

孔雀河流域绿洲生态支持系统调控模式研究

生态环境用水量的减少是孔雀河流域近 50年来现代绿洲环境退化的主要原因 ,维持生态与社会经济的合理用水比例是绿洲系统持续发展的前提。以此为基础 ,本文采用水资源承载力的方法探讨了绿洲生态支持子系统和社会经济子系统优化调控模式 ,最后就配置方案及发展模式的可行性进行了分析